Scotstoun Stadium and Sports Centre in Glasgow is one of the key venues for the 2014 Bid for Glasgow to host the Commonwealth Games, both as a venue for table tennis and squash and as an important training ground for athletes.

Scotstoun is enjoying a growing reputation for providing world-class badminton facilities for international competitions, but is also one of the most heavily-used community sports facilities in the city, with between 800,000 and one million people coming through the doors each year.

Although already a fantastic venue, the site will enjoy some major changes over the next few years, principally to extend the stadium building and facilities.

Last month Stewart Maxwell, Scotland’s minister for Communities and Sport, announced that Scotstoun Stadium will receive an incredible £14.2million upgrade.

The funding will be used to upgrade the existing stadium facilities, creating a venue that can hold around 5,000 spectators for rugby and track and field events. The main building will see the introduction of a new Fitness Suite, larger foyer and extended cage, while changing, hospitality and other back of house resources will also be overhauled at the new stand. 

Centre manager Jonathan Shaw said the demand from the public to participate in sport for fun and to keep fit, and demand from elite athletes for great facilities, is driving the changes.

“At the moment we are catering for everyone from grass-roots level right up to elite athletes. International badminton events like the Sudirman Cup have shown how well we can put on major competitions, but at the same time I think there is a message getting through to the public about how important it is to keep active and healthy, which is why we are progressively seeing more demand for the gym, pool, courts and aerobics classes.

“The modernisation will allow us to offer events at a higher standard, and to offer events that otherwise we would have been unable to host, as well as having more community use. I’m really looking forward to the new facilities we’ll have here.”

Other members of staff at the stadium were also enthusiastic about the developments.

Senior receptionist Jan Diver sees almost everyone who comes through the doors of Scotstoun. She said the demand for courts at the fantastic National Badminton Academy is proof positive of how enthusiastic Scots are for sport. “You see people getting keener and keener to come into the centre and have a game – some nights we are booked solid!
“When the improvements are finished I think we will see the same thing happen but with even more sports. Track and field and rugby events will get just as popular as badminton because we will have the facilities to make sure everyone enjoys themselves.”

And assistant centre manager Andy Craig added that the buzz about Glasgow’s Bid to host the Commonwealth Games in 2014 has already had an effect. “There is so much enthusiasm for the Games here in Glasgow,” he said. “When people come here they can see all the branding we have, the posters and stickers, and they want to know what is happening with the bid and with where sport is going in Scotland, which we are always happy to tell them about.
“I think Scotland should win and if it does the Games in 2014 would really drive people, especially young people, towards participation. Scotstoun is a great example of a venue that is great for sport in the community as well as sport at elite levels.”

Work will begin on the improvements before the end of the year, with a completion date of 2009.

It is the latest of ten projects to receive stage two approval under the Scottish government’s £50million National and Regional Sports Facilities Strategy, which includes £21.2m from sportscotland’s Lottery Sports Fund.

Geoff Wightman, Chief Executive of scottishathletics said the Scotstoun improvements will be a real boost for sport.   

“There continues to be a rise in participation in all athletics grassroots programmes with exciting modern resources available to schools and communities. 

“Every year in Scotland alone, thousands of children are introduced to the sport through these dynamic athletics programmes, working closely with our partners in local authorities and clubs. Thanks to the sportscotland funding, this trend is set to continue