So at last we know.
After months of speculation and rumour-mongering, we have a location for Barrhead’s new aquatic centre.
While much of the talk was about a site near the Splash Park, the major baseball diamond or replacing the existing pool, Town Council’s administration was quietly negotiating the purchase of a parcel of raw land.
The five-acre site at the corner of 58 Avenue and 49 Street near the Shepherd’s Care facility has been bought for $175,000 from the Schneider family.
Our first impression of this location is favourable.
Anyone visiting the snow-covered patch of ground will notice its proximity to the schools, playing fields and new tennis courts.
Secondly there will be ample parking spaces, and thirdly it is large enough to raise the prospect of further recreational facilities.
It also means there will be no interruption to swimming, as the current aquatic centre will continue operating during construction for its replacement.
Ideally, of course, it would have been great to have kept the new pool in the immediate vicinity of the Agrena, recreation department, curling rink, bowling lanes, baseball diamonds and rodeo grounds.
For this reason a site by the Splash Park remained the second best option while talks with the Schneiders continued. However, the parking challenge thrown up by the Splash Park proposal proved insurmountable.
In light of this, the Schneider site seems an excellent choice and we imagine it will find favour with most of the community.
It should certainly lighten the mood of those who feared for the future of the major baseball diamond. Several months ago it seemed the council had earmarked the diamond for the pool.
Among those who opposed such a location was Shannon Carlson, president of the Barrhead and District Agrena Society, responsible for pool fund-raising.
Now these fears have been laid to rest, and the location is known, Carlson and his fundraising team should be in a much stronger position to go about their business.
After all, it is easier to encourage people to give to a cause that is known rather than one wrapped in concern and doubt. We should all support the fund-raising effort as far as our budgets will allow.
All being well, we will have a new aquatic centre by the end of 2014.
It will be one more reason for pride in our little community which is already blessed with so much.
