Clydesmill - Scottish National Whitewater Course

AWWC News - no. 9, October 2000

Olympics
See the Olympics? - The Sydney course is the sort of facility that we'd like to see at Strathclyde Park.

Feasibility Study
Feasibility study delivered - generally positive - specifically that the user numbers are acheivable ie that the course would be economically viable . This holds true even with sensitivity analyses applied. The study identified the raising of the capital costs as the biggest problem - and we have started the background work on this.

The study was carried out by Fairhurst Engineers and Pieda Economic assessors; it cost approx UKP 28,000, of which UKP 6,000 was raised by Scottish Paddlers. Copies of feasibility study (engineering 50 pp), economic (52pp) from SCA office - UKP 3 include P+P Other funders included Landtrust and Patersonss of Greenoakhill, Lanarkshire Development agency (now Local Enterprise Lanarkshire) and South Lanark Council

Funding Package
The funding package will likely take a year or more to put together, and will likely have a series of partners - having different organisations putting money into it helps strenghten the case for the site. The main funders will likely be the sports bodies, including Sports Lottery; European Development funding; landfill tax credit scheme; possibly New Opportunities fund; Foundation for the Sports and Arts.

We are looking at aspects of buildings beside the course that would be targets for private funding - the cafe and retail shops would be the most obvious ones for that. Given that the site is in an advantageous position for advertising, the possibility of sponsorship is good.

There may well have to be some fundraising by Scottish Canoeists - by Spring next year, we should have an idea of what we may need to raise.

AWWC Conference
At a conference on AWWC's at Northampton, just before the Scottish Canoe Exhibition, we presented the Strathclyde park project. Seems that we're further ahead than other projects in the UK - just behind us is the course planned for Exeter.

Volunteers Wanted
We currently need a "publicity and communications" person to to help the communication flow to paddlers and, next year, to co-ordinate the sending of support letters from clubs, organisations etc. Good skill learning opportunity.
Other jobs needed done include good quality artists impression. Have you a Student Project to do? The AWWC project covers many fields - technical, environmental, market, etc Speak to Andy Watt andy@clydesmill.org.uk

--- Watch out fur further updates after Xmas ----

please mail any comments to info@clydesmill.org.uk

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