Demolition of former Portree pool to start soon

The Highland Council is proceeding with the contract to demolish the former swimming pool building at Portree and contractors, Central Demolitions of Bonnybridge,  are due on site shortly. The premises closed as a swimming pool in June 2008 when the new extended pool opened at the Fingal Centre in Portree High School. Although the building has been temporarily used for storage purposes it is in poor condition and it is not economically viable to bring it up to modern day building standards.

Earlier this year the Council considered properties in its ownership which would meet the criteria for using the Vacant and Derelict Land Fund to clear sites or demolish unused buildings which would then have potential for redevelopment. One of the sites identified  was that of the former Portree pool. Consultation took place with the local Members at that time, who all agreed that course of action.

Since early July a local resident has been protesting at the decision and questioning the Council’s right to demolish what he believes is a community asset held by a common good fund for Portree. Ownership of the facility and the site is not in question and there is no common good fund for Portree.

The Council acknowledges that the campaign to build a swimming pool in Portree began in 1972 and was led by a very active committee chaired by Mrs A Weir, who started the fundraising campaign with a personal donation. Initially the proposal was for a small community owned and run pool on a site close to the High School. Between 1972 and 1976 a sum in the order of £20,000 had been raised. Even if the maximum grants that may have been available for a project of this nature at that time were forthcoming, there would still have been a considerable shortfall in the capital costs and an uncertain situation regarding the running costs.

Following local government reorganisation in 1975, the District and Regional Councils became involved in the project and made an agreement that if the Regional Council would build the pool, the District Council would run it and meet the operating costs. The landlord, Iain Noble, agreed to make a site available on part of  Portree’s King George V Park which had been leased to the District Council. The District Council renounced their interest in that part of the Park lease so that the site could be transferred into the ownership of the Regional Council. The build cost amounted to £155,000 and the community group passed the funds they had raised to the Regional Council as a contribution towards the construction. The contract to build the pool was let in November 1977 and the new facility opened to the public in June 1979. Later ownership was passed to the District Council and in 1996 to The Highland Council.

The Council has undertaken to consult via Portree Community Council on future use of the site, which will include a suggestion that the site could become a location for a Council run Gaelic Medium Nursery facility.

Meanwhile, the Council and High Life highland are currently finalising a programme of improvement to the King George V playing field and hope to let a contract for the work in the next few weeks.