RAF Kinloss could be sporting centre of excellence
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Frank Dick
RAF KINLOSS could become a centre of sporting excellence for Moray and the Highlands, a leading Scottish sports coach has claimed.
The call by Dr Frank Dick to create a major indoor sporting facility at the base has been welcomed by Moray campaigners who have fought for years to create a first-class facility locally.
Dr Dick was speaking at last Saturday’s Highlands, Islands and Grampian Regional athletics championships at the Queen’s Park in the Highland capital.
The chair of Scottish Athletics said that the hangar and domestic accommodation at Kinloss, which will cease to operate as an air base after July 31, could become an ideal facility to boost a wide range of sports across the area.
He said: "The Highland region needs a quality indoor training facility, not just for track and field, but also for football, for rugby, for shinty, for hockey. For all of the games, we need a venue to go and train.
"Now with a venue like Royal Air Force Kinloss you have a huge hangar there – wonderful for indoor training. A minimal amount of flooring rearrangement and surfacing and you’ve got it perfect for indoor training.
"I think you’ve got a wonderful opportunity there at Royal Air Force Kinloss to create a very special centre of excellence for the Highlands."
His comments were welcomed by Drew Baillie, former chairman of the Heart of Moray project which at one time was on the verge of delivering a £6 million regional sports facility in the grounds of Elgin High School.
"I would welcome this idea and it would be the ideal place for an indoor sports facility for Moray," he said.
Mr Bailie said indoor sports facilities were "sorely lacking" in Moray and the only outdoor running track, at Morriston in Elgin, is a cinder track.
"We are talking Alf Tupper stuff here that you read about in comic books.
He said the comments from Frank Dick, a man held in "high esteem" in athletic circles, were very welcome and he hopes they generate a fresh debate on the issue.
Moray Roadrunners coach Margery Swinton said the dearth of quality facilities in Moray was a "disgrace to be honest".
The Knockando-based coach has helped nurture some of the top young talent in the last 20 years. She currently coaches 14-year-old Emma Bowie, from Rothes, who is the No.2 ranked hammer thrower for her age in the UK and No.1 in Scotland.
She said the lack of decent indoor and outdoor facilities was a frustration for all those involved in athletics.
"At the moment, all my good athletes have to travel to Inverness or the Aberdeen indoor arena and that is costly with the price of petrol at the moment," she said.
She welcomed the comments by Frank Dick but questioned whether the will existed in Moray to bring about first-class athletics facilities.
Get 'The Northern Scot' on Friday for full story.
