Crumbling Meadowbank 'at risk of permanent closure'

CRUMBLING Meadowbank Stadium is at risk of being closed down permanently with no money to re-open it, councillors have been warned.

A new report says an interim council investment of £1.45 million – designed to keep the facility ticking over for the next few years – is not enough to rule out a complete failure of its ageing electrical and mechanical systems.

The money to be invested, which was agreed by councillors in February's budget, will help keep Meadowbank in an operational state in the interim, but it will remain at constant risk of closure until "a more substantial level of refurbishment" is carried out.

The new report, by the city's director of corporate services, Jim Inch, has raised fresh fears that the council will not be able to keep the facility going until a replacement is built.

Council chiefs were forced to delay plans to build a new £25m sports centre after it was revealed in November 2008 that the land being sold to fund the majority of the project would only fetch £5m rather than the expected £17m.

Bill Walker, the City of Edinburgh Athletics Club's chief coach and member of the Save Meadowbank Campaign, said: "This amount of money would be OK if it was for one year. But as it is, it's just a sticking plaster.

"At the moment the track isn't really fit for competition. They are apparently going to patch it up just now and in August are going to re-lay the top surface, and that's going to take up most of the money.

"I think it's going to be eight to ten years before we get anything new at Meadowbank and at the moment we are just getting by."

Labour group leader Councillor Andrew Burns added: "Whilst the money that has been allocated to immediate repairs and maintenance is to be welcomed, it's only a short-term solution and longer term prospects for Meadowbank need to be decided upon."

The interim £1.45m investment will pay for "essential works" to be carried out between now and 2012. These include repairs to the structure of the buildings and resurfacing of the internal and external athletics track.

In his report, Mr Inch warned: "Building component failure, however, remains a possibility without a complete refurbishment of the building, including the full replacement of mechanical and electrical services. In the absence of a more substantial level of refurbishment, a risk of failure of an essential element of the building remains, for which there is no current budget provision."

City sports leader Deidre Brock said: "It's an inescapable fact that Meadowbank is nearing the end of its life, but this interim investment will help to keep the facility open and operational until the city is in a better financial position to start the new development."

What should be done about Meadowbank?

Clare Morley, 30, civil servant, Duddingston Park: "I think sports facilities are pretty appalling, and it would be dreadful to lose Meadowbank. There's nothing else on this side of town."

John Gray, 54, estate agent, Stenhouse Drive: "I think, in these times, spending money on schools should be a bigger priority. Meadowbank is becoming a bit of a white elephant and I don't think it would be hugely missed."

Jennifer Hutton, 51, personnel manager, Dundas Street: "People always economise on maintenance and now they are left with a huge repair bill. I think they need to find the money somewhere."