Alastair Ross Memorial Pitch
A £650,000 synthetic sports pitch for Plockton High School and Community will be opened tomorrow (Friday 3rd November, 2006) by John Beattie, ex Scottish International Rugby Player and BBC correspondent.
Funding for the100m x 60m pitch with floodlighting came from the Big Lottery Fund £237,000, HIE Skye and Wester Ross £80,000 and the balance met by The Highland Council £333,000. The synthetic pitch was constructed by Les Taylor Construction (Northern) Ltd., and will serve both the school and local community.
The pitch has been named the “Alastair Ross Memorial Pitch - Pairc Cuimhneachaidh Alasdair Rois” after a local man whose mother gifted the ground for the park to the village of Plockton in memory of her son who died in 1932.
Plockton High School Ceannard/Rector Duncan Ferguson, local Highland Councillor Isabelle Campbell and Hugh Macquarrie, Chairman of Lochalsh Sports Association will join John Beattie to emphasise their delight in seeing the completion of such a great facility which is both for the benefit of pupils at the school and sports players in the community.
Displays of football shinty and hockey and rugby will be provided by Highland Council’s Active Schools Coordinator with local Secondary and Primary PE staff, pupils and local Sports Clubs.
Councillor Isabelle Campbell said: “I have fought long and hard for this wonderful facility here in the community of Plockton and I am absolutely delighted to see these excellent sporting facilities here both for the school and our local community. At long last our local teams and school children will be able to focus on their practise and play at this super pitch.”
Hugh Macquarrie, Chairman of Lochalsh Sports Association said: “This is a valuable facility for school and community alike. We are grateful to The Big Lottery Fund, Highland Council and Highlands and Islands Enterprise for their funding. This surface allows the school to teach outdoors throughout the year and has already encouraged the formation of new sports clubs in the area and allowed existing clubs to play outdoors.”
David Campbell, Big Lottery Fund Scotland Board Member said: “This opening is all about giving young people the best start in life by providing good quality sporting facilities right on their doorstep. Schools are increasingly becoming a focus for developing active community links and this fantastic new pitch will encourage the school to work together with the local community to engage more people in an active and healthy lifestyle.”
Robert Muir, Chief Executive of HIE Skye and Wester Ross said: "HIE Skye and Wester Ross is pleased to support the development of such a superb facility in the Lochalsh area. The HIE network recognises the long-term economic and community benefits participation in sport can bring, and we are keen to see the pitch used to its full-potential in partnership with the Lochalsh Sports Association."