Radical plans to refurbish the Galleon leisure centre will be put before councillors today.
The multi-million pound project, which could take a number of years to complete, would ideally be done in phases, bosses have said.
The option to tear down the Titchfield Street sports centre looks set to be off the table after retailers in the town described it as the “beating heart” of the area in a dossier that the council cabinet will vote on.
If approved, £33 million plans to build a new Galleon will be scrapped. Instead, £13.8m will be used to transform the leisure centre, with extra funds being resourced from elsewhere.
The £19m left over would be spent on the regeneration of Kilmarnock town centre, the report states.
The report reads: “The facility sees around 0.5 million visitors annually and provides a range of facilities including a leisure swimming pool, an ice rink, bowling hall, sports hall, squash courts, a sauna/steam room, a fitness room and two bars.
“Due to changing demographics and needs of customers over the years, the fitness room is the busiest area of the Galleon but there is a decline in usage for the squash courts and curling facilities.
“The bowling hall is regularly used by the older generation and has a double purpose during school holidays when it is used to house the kids’ clubs.”
A six-month study found that children, young people and families are travelling out of Kilmarnock and East Ayrshire to use other leisure and sports facilities.
The council plan on running a “comprehensive community engagement exercise” working with schools, community organisations and the general public to determine what will be in the new centre.
Running in tandem, the council plan to commission a detailed technical study which looks at the fabric of the building, plant, component renewal and future maintenance requirements.
“The proposed repurposing will require to take into consideration the need to upgrade the structure and fabric of the building,” the report added.
“It would also be proposed that the study explore ways of reducing running costs.”
Council bosses also aim to address the limited parking at the Galleon if councillors give the project the nod.
And a short-term working group would be established to drive this agenda forward comprising the acting general manager and depute manager of the Galleon, the head of housing and communities, the interim chief executive of the leisure trust, a wellbeing representative and the council’s policy, planning and performance manager.
