Funds agreed for urgent electrical works at Newtonmore Village Hall
Urgent electrical work at Newtonmore’s village hall can now be carried out after funding was agreed by local Highland councillors with hopes the facility can reopen in the coming weeks.
Community operated public toilets in Grantown will also be upgraded with money from Highland Council’s Community Regeneration Fund.
The funding worth nearly £10,000 was agreed by members of the authority’s Badenoch and Strathspey area committee meeting earlier today at Kingussie’s Courthouse.
Newtonmore Village Hall was closed recently to public events until further notice for remedial works.
Chairman Councillor Russell Jones said: “Community Regeneration Funding helps us support key projects in the heart of our communities.
“A total of £4,435.20 will be invested in window repairs for the Burnfield Public Toilets in Grantown with £5,000 being invested in urgent electrical work at the Newtonmore Village Hall.
“Additionally, £50,000 of funding from the Highland Coastal Communities Fund has also been ringfenced to deliver the Loch Vaa car park project.
“I am pleased that these projects will now be prioritised and taken forward which will bring welcome improvements for those in the local community.”
During a routine inspection the electrical wiring and fire alarms at the Newtonmore hall were found to be below the required standard and in need of modernisation.
Councillor Jones said: “Local members agreed to support this work and it is hoped it will be completed in the not too distant future so the hall can re-open and fulfil its summer bookings.”
The money for Burnside public toilets is for the replacement of old sky lights for modern velux style windows.
Councillor Jones said: “Local members were very happy to support this project as the Grantown community have done a fantastic job to get their community owned toilets up and running and this will be a final piece in the jigsaw to modernise their building.”
The Laggantygowan cemetery car park funding is to provide a solution to the current congestion problems.
This can sometimes prevent families visiting the graves of loved ones because they are unable to park.
Nearby Loch Vaa has become very popular in recent years with walkers and wild swimmers and councillors hope the improvements will allow for parking for everyone.
The £50k has been ring fenced for the project but final designs and costings have yet to be approved before any work will be authorised.
Councillor Bill Lobban explained: “We want to extend the car park so that people who are visiting the grave of their loved ones have a place to park.
“The estate has been very generous and have offered the land for free.”
Community Regeneration Funding is an umbrella term for several funds that are available for communities and organisations to access in the Highlands.
The Highland Coastal Communities Fund is designed to support economic regeneration and sustainable development around coastal areas in Highland.
