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 A state-of-the-art new sporting facility located on the site of the former Ravenscraig steelworks opened to the public yesterday. The stunning new £32 million Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility was launched with a weekend of sporting fun complete with sporting celebrities, taster fitness classes, an attempt to hold the biggest ever Zumba class and 24 hr football tournament.
Scotland men’s and women’s national team coaches Craig Levein and Anna Signuel, along with local primary children, kicked off the 24 hour charity football tournament in aid of the St Andrew’s Hospice. Craig Levein said: “Facilities are a key element of Henry McLeish’s Review of Scottish Football and an integral part of improving the stream of young talent into the Scotland national teams. As we’ve seen with similar centres in Glasgow and Aberdeen, a facility like the one here at Ravenscraig has the potential to have a massive impact on football at all levels, and the local community in general. From my point of view, giving players access to good quality public facilities around the country can only be a good thing for the future of the national team.”
Anna Signeul, Scotland women’s national coach, added: “The importance of state-of-the-art facilities like this can’t be overstated as we continue to develop the women’s game in Scotland. The facility here at Ravenscraig will be of great benefit to women’s football, from our regional squads through to the national teams. We’re bringing two women’s youth international matches to Ravenscraig in November - just a few years ago it would have been a distant dream for our young players to get access to a facility of this quality.”
The new facility, operated by North Lanarkshire Leisure on behalf of the council, includes a full-size indoor and a full-size outdoor 3G football pitch and 6 floodlit outdoor 5-a-side pitches. Athletics also forms major part of the complex with a six-lane, 135m running track, throw and jump areas and a strength and conditioning area for athletes. There’s also a multi sports hall with nine badminton courts, a huge fitness gym with top of the range Technogym equipment, dance studios and a sports injuries clinic.
Funding for the centre came from North Lanarkshire Council, Ravenscraig Ltd and an additional £7.3million backing by the Scottish Government, through national sports agency sportscotland. Council Leader, Jim McCabe, said: “It’s been a real pleasure watching this magnificent building gradually transform the once derelict landscape of Ravenscraig. Now that it’s open, it will provide the people of North Lanarkshire with some of the best facilities in the country and will help encourage our young people to adopt a health lifestyle through sports. Along with the opening of the new Motherwell College and the housing developments taking place, this project demonstrates our commitment to realising the vision of creating a new thriving community at Ravenscraig.”
On Sunday (3 October), an attempt will be made to break the world record for the number of people taking part in a Zumba dance class. The current record is thought to be held by Canadians at 575 people, but organisers are confident of smashing this figure.
Jim Logue, Chair of North Lanarkshire Leisure, added: “We’re absolutely committed to investing in our sporting facilities and have recently opened six full size 3G sports pitches across North Lanarkshire and all of our 24 new schools have first class sports facilities.”
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