Work Underway On Kinlochshiel’s New Pitch | |
08 October 2014 Work is underway to create a new shinty pitch for Kinlochshiel Shinty Club at Balmacara, near Kyle of Lochalsh. The new pitch is situated just to the Inverness side of the Balmacara Hotel. The development will be split over two phases and funding is now in place for Phase 1 which costs £361,540. A contribution of £50,000 from Highland Council was the final piece in a jigsaw which saw sportscotland contribute £150,000 with Kinlochshiel’s own club resources totalling an impressive £161,540. The west coast club hope the pitch will be ready in time to host some games towards the end of the 2015 shinty season. Kinlochshiel Shinty Club was formed in 1960 following the amalgamation of Kintail, Lochalsh and Glenelg shinty clubs. The current pitch at Kirkton has seen many memorable matches since before World War II. However players have to negotiate the busy A87 trunk road when going from the current changing area to the pitch and poor drainage, a sloped pitch and a lack of parking and appropriate changing rooms mean the facilities are below modern standards, something the club has been keen to rectify. Keith Loades, chairman of Kinlochshiel Shinty Club Ltd said: “We have been overwhelmed by the support from the local community for this development and we are particularly grateful to Mrs Katherine Grant, whose husband, Peter Grant, was Club President for many years; and John Clamp of Ardelve and Leslie Rush of Harrogate, who both remembered Kinlochshiel in their estates. Their generosity enabled the club to contribute its share of funding to the total project cost.” Loades, who has recently been co-opted to the Camanachd Association Board of Directors, added that the club was grateful to everyone who has contributed to making this very desirable project possible but in particular to Shona MacLennan, whose help, guidance and encouragement have been invaluable. Local councillor Kinlochshiel Shinty Club President Biz Campbell was “delighted” that Highland Council was able to support the project to the tune of £50,000. She said, “The Council supports sport and culture in the Highlands and a new shinty pitch will ensure that both these aspects of Highland life continue to thrive. We look forward to this facility providing a venue for national competitions as well as being the home to a thriving club.” Sportscotland Chief Executive Stewart Harris said, “At sportscotland, we are working with our partners to develop more and better facilities right across Scotland to provide greater opportunities for people to participate in sport at every level. Clubs like Kinlochshiel play a significant role in the life of the local community and the development of the sport of shinty so we were delighted to support their ambitions with investment of £150,000. We wish Kinlochshiel every success with the project and look forward to seeing the first game of shinty played on the new pitch.” There was a turf-cutting ceremony at the new pitch on Saturday 26 September 2014 with players - past and present - in attendance and some children from local schools in the area were selected to receive commemorative medals from Club President Biz Campbell. They were Luke Gill (Auchtertyre), Maree MacKenzie (Glenelg), Mairi Finlayson (Kyle), Charlie MacBeath (Loch Duich) and Archie MacRae (Plockton). The second Phase of the development will see the erection of changing rooms, a sports pavilion with multi-purpose coaching / training room, kitchen, spectator facilities and a children’s play area. Kinlochshiel hope that the new facilities will be used as a neutral venue for club cup ties and representative matches. |