Falkirk football centre set to be closed for good as council review facilities

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Denny Football Centre is almost certain to be closed for good as part of a review of Falkirk Council's sport and leisure facilities.

The centre, near Denny High School, has been shut since March 2020 and members of Falkirk Council heard that it is such poor condition it would need "significant investment" to make it fit for use.

Keeping it closed would mean an annual saving to the council of £30,000, but the final decision will be made by members of Falkirk Council's education, children and young people's executive. READ MORE: No extra help for Falkirk home owners facing £15,000 bills for council repairs Members heard previous customers are now using alternative facilities and there had been "no clamour from any user group" to reopen it.Labour councillor Jack Redmond said he had visited the centre and agreed the ageing building "is not pretty" - but he was concerned about the loss of yet another five-aside football venue.Independent councillor Brian McCabe also voiced his concerns.He said: "Yes, we're making savings, we're having to cut back because we don't have the finances in place but I just wonder, what effects are we causing to our communities when we're taking these facilities away?"He said he was concerned that closing down facilities would have an impact on people's mental health, which was suffering after the pandemic.But SNP councillor Paul Garner assured members that people were already finding other facilities.He said: "I'm a committee member of Dunipace FC and we were the main users of the hall, prior to it closing some time ago."We don't need it now probably because of the facility we have now at Dunipace FC and the state of the art 3G pitch which is mirrored in Bo'ness."That was through funding from the