A COMMUNITY charity is appealing for the public’s help after youths targeted it’s soon to open gym.
The Ardrossan Community Sports Hub is managing the old Maximum Potential CIC gym in the grounds of Seafield House on Eglinton Road.
Last week, vandals climbed over the wall of the site and smashed the unit’s main door window with a brick – it had only been replaced a few months previous.
But this incident, on Monday, October 12, was not an isolated case.
A spokesperson for the Hub said: “Despite ensuring the gates to the grounds are locked, we continue to have problems with youths climbing the wall and vandalising the unit.
“We are now having to look at installing a security shutter over the doorways to protect the building and its equipment as the old Seafield School was set on fire previously and we want to ensure we make all efforts to secure this building for the use of the community and its youth in the months and years to come.”
The Hub is a registered charity with limited income and the cost of repairing smashed glass and installing shutters drains funds that could otherwise be used for the benefit of the community.
The team have been working hard, despite delays caused by the pandemic, to get the gym up and running.
They are currently trying to sort out the ground to the front of the gym building to make it suitable for youth football training.
Winton Youth Academy will be making use of the space which will be illuminated by temporary floodlights during the dark winter months.
The Hub spokesperson said: “We want to work with the youth in the area and intend on delivering projects for them once restrictions allow, ensuring that all youth are included and not just those whose parents can afford it.”
They added: “Whilst restrictions are in place, we’d like to ask the public to be vigilant and to call the police if they
see any issues in relation to youths entering the site or indeed any vandalism.”
The Hub is upgrading its Facebook page and website along with the facilities and the hope is it will be open for the community soon.
The spokesperson told the Herald: “We are looking to install a container for storage and have installed security lighting and new signage to the building and perimeter wall advising that this will be the Ardrossan Community Gym and ‘opening soon’.
“In the meantime we’d like to thank the Ardrossan community for their support and patience, and look forward to delivering inclusive fitness for all.”
For more information visit facebook.com/ardrossancsh/ or www.ardrossancsh.org/
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here