Goal in sight for community sports facility

24 January 2019

Work is poised to start this year on a new community sports facility after Aberdeen City Council’s Capital Programme Committee approved the business case.

The Torry Cruyff Court will be built in place of an ageing artificial pitch on Tullos Playing Fields, Girdleness Road.

The City Council is providing £250,000 to help establish the hi-tech, all-weather activity area.

Scotland’s first Cruyff Court opened in Aberdeen in 2017 when an abandoned play area at Catherine Street Court, off George Street, was transformed.

The brainchild of the late Dutch footballing legend Johan Cruyff, Cruyff Courts number nearly 250 around the world and are found in more than 20 countries.

The Denis Law Legacy Trust spearheaded the concept’s introduction to Aberdeen and will allocate staff time to the Torry Cruyff Court as well as sharing maintenance costs with the Council.

Council Co-Leader Councillor Jenny Laing said: “The Council is delighted to be working with partners to deliver for the city a second Cruyff Court, which will bring many benefits for the neighbourhood and wider area.

“The new project will help meet drivers within the Community Planning Aberdeen’s Torry Locality Plan 2017-2027, ranging from improved health and wellbeing to increased opportunities for young people to volunteer and develop employability skills.”

“Aberdeen’s first Cruyff Court has proved a winner and the Council is keen to see its success replicated in the south of the city.”

The City Growth and Resources Committee, which meets on February 7, has been asked to formally accept a £50,000 contribution from the Johan Cruyff Foundation towards the facility.