Anxious members of an Ayrshire sports club may have to wait until September before learning if they have a future within a £40 million leisure centre facility plan.
Members of Ayr Diving Club previously voiced concerns that proposals for a sports hub on the site of the Arran Mall and iconic Hourstons department store in the town made no mention of their sport.
They feared that their club – and an Olympic sport – could sink in Ayr unless plans to include a diving board were revisited.
Fears were high that up-and-coming stars could be forced as far afield as Edinburgh to pursue their dreams.
Peter Smith, a former Commonwealth diver who is now president of Ayr Diving Club, based at the closure-threatened Citadel, said he was “worried” that the current plans made “no mention of diving.”
He also warned that it would “tear an Olympic sport away from the people of the south-west of Scotland” if diving wasn’t included in the blueprint.
South Ayrshire Council held a public consultation on the proposals, which closed in May, and they were inundated with feedback.
Council chiefs hope to use the centre as a bold new driver of footfall to the town centre as they replace the ageing Citadel.
But it looks likely that diving fans will have to wait before finding out more about the proposals.
Peter said: "We have encouraged as many people and organisations as possible to take part in the consultation and we've had great support from our colleagues from the likes of Edinburgh and Aberdeen, who are all keen to see a diving presence continue in the west of Scotland.
"Although we're a fairly modest club, based at the Citadel with three fairly rickety diving boards, there are no other facilities around; not even in Glasgow.
"The nearest one is the Royal Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh."
It's understood that the governing body, Scottish Swimming, is also keen to see a diving presence retained in Ayrshire.
Peter now wants to ensure that the sport of diving remains in the public eye.
He said: "It's a growing sport in Scotland and Ayr could serve a huge catchment area – if we had the facilities.
"We already attract people from quite far afield because there's nowhere else. We have people coming down from Glasgow, Greenock and Irvine – and the potential is massive.
"In terms of the leisure centre plan, it looked as though diving wasn't even a consideration.
"It's such a valuable facility and it would be a tragedy to lose this only facility between here and Edinburgh."
A council spokesperson said: “Our new leisure centre consultation received 2,600 responses and over 5,000 individual comments and suggestions.
“We are currently reviewing and analysing the feedback and will provide more information on the next steps in early September.”
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