Falkirk Council: Here's why people are protesting over the planned closure of Bo'ness Recreation Centre

For Jan McBride, who was among hundreds of people attending Saturday’s protest, the closure of Bo’ness Recreation Centres is just unthinkable.

She said that she has been attending Active Forth classes at the centre for ten years, keeping her fit and mobile enough to keep her independence.

The group was just one of the local clubs facing an uncertain future without their home, with the ‘reccy’ is set to close its doors on May 3.

Falkirk Council narrowly voted to close the centre for good after four-hour debate on a report to members, which said repairs to the building would cost around £4 million.

And despite protests its swimming pool, martial arts area and astro turf are already out of use, closed for safety reasons after concerns were flagged in an inspection.

But ‘Save the Bo’ness Reccy’ campaign group say they will keep challenging the decision, with Saturday’s demonstration and a petition the latest in a string of protests.

Having been referred by their doctors for rehabilitation after illness or injury, Active Forth members can then keep going to stay fit and healthy.

Aileen Thomson says the classes have been a huge help in managing her arthritis and prevented her needing an operation.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen if I can’t exercise,” she said. “It has helped all of us tremendously!”

Several members said their worry is that the centre will shut in two months’ time with no alternative in place.

“We’re all retired – we want to have somewhere to go during the day,” said Rae Paterson, who is holding a placard saying ‘I have a heart – help keep it beating!’.

“There’s nowhere else – they haven’t given us any alternative.”

The women, all in their 70s, say it’s not easy to go to the nearest council leisure centre in Grangemouth – a bus journey and then a 15-minute walk – and even if they do, Rae has found the classes are always fully booked.

While there is a promise that the school facilities will be improved, it is unlikely they will be available during the day.

Also at the protest were members of Bo’ness Rugby Club. Over the past 13 years, its numbers have steadily grown, with men’s, women and junior teams now all part of the club.

With a development officer now working in all five Bo’ness primary schools, president Adam Sneddon had high hopes for the future.

But without a home, the club’s future is in jeopardy.

Adam is determined it will survive but at the moment can’t see anywhere in Bo’ness that has suitable facilities and they may well have to move to Grangemouth.

He is hugely critical of the decision to close before new facilities are in place, perhaps even a temporary changing room.

“It’s a lack of forward planning – no contingency planning, no strategy,” he said.

Another banner belongs to the Sub Aqua Club, which has used the centre for 46 years.

While members – aged from 12 to 79 years old – will still be able to go diving, without a pool to train new recruits, there is a very real chance the club won’t survive.

Sam McKay said they were there to make people aware of the issues they are facing.

She said: “It’s a very difficult thing to say but we are still looking at all our options.

“The pool is integral to the way we train. We also use the centre to store all of our equipment.”

The club offers training in scuba diving at a fraction of the cost it would be for private lessons and teaches water safety, lifesaving skills and CPR.

She acknowledges that there are problems across the country with leisure facilities having to close.

“You take away these facilities, if kids don’t have anything to do, what mischief will they get up to?

“What’s the impact going to be on the NHS of a much more sedentary community?”

Following the protest, martial arts club Forth Tiger Muay Thai announced it has had its last training session as they are no longer allowed to use the combat zone.

Not everyone at the protest is a member of a club.

Little Rose Jones, 2, is there with mum Alannah and dad Chris.

Chris, who is on crutches, has gone to the gym three or four times a week since the family moved to Bo’ness and believes it is “integral to the community”.

“The staff are extremely supportive – I can say that from my own experience,” he said.

Responding to the demonstration, a spokesperson for the council said: “It is unfortunate the pool has had to close but does reflect the general concerns around the condition of the property.

“Going forward the council proposes new major investment at Bo’ness Academy which will provides quality and accessible sports, leisure and community facilities that will mitigate some of the loss of the Rec – and in some cases – enhance what is currently provided.”

But Lynn Munro, a former councillor who is a member of the Save the Bo’ness Reccy campaign, has accused the council of making “empty promises”.

She said: “There is nothing specific, no timescale and no regret over the way this project is being handled despite the huge adverse impact it is having on so many people, clubs and organisations.

“This facility needs to be retained until there is a viable alternative for Bo’ness- something the council and councillors should have recognised!

“Given the council are so hard up and unlikely to have any money to replace the facility, surely planned maintenance would be more cost effective and prevent the wholesale destruction of so many clubs and organisation who provide a social structure for the health and well-being of the Bo’ness community.”