Supporters urged to get behind plans for Highlands’ first public padel court
Fans of the world’s fastest growing sport padel are being urged to get on-board with a bid to open a court in Kingussie.
It could lead to the creation of the very first padel court in the whole of the Highlands.
Padel which combines elements of tennis and squash is widely regarded as the fastest growing sport in the world with 25 million players globally.
The Badenoch Community Project is holding its AGM this Tuesday (September 23) at Kingussie’s Talla nan Ros from 7.30pm and interested people are invited to attend.
One of the project’s spokespeople Kenny Deans said: “Since the Strathy article I have been contacted by a number of interested parties and we have certainly started a conversation.
“It is about getting information out there.
“For lots of people padel is an unknown and the group needs to share the knowledge about it as a sport and as a fun activity for friends or families.
“There was a wee bit of feedback about the indicative drawings and I must emphasise we are at a consultative stage and feedback and constructive comments and suggestions are most welcome.”
Mr Deans said part of the initiative must be to provide access to the area behind the town’s bowling club ‘which in turn presents another opportunity for development’.
Any car and bike parking will support not just the proposed padel court but the Badenoch Centre and bowling club at busy times.
Mr Deans said: “The AGM will be another step to sharing the idea and enlisting backing from individuals rather than just the various community groups who have already indicated their support in principle.”
The Badenoch Community Project was started in 1996 with a very specific brief to look at improving recreation facilities for the people of the area.
Following the fire in the Victoria Hall in 1999, the group joined forces with Highland Council to build the Badenoch Centre.
The BCP raised the communities part of the funding and this was done mainly by running a charity shop and by selling named bricks which are still on show in the foyer.
In 2004, the group also masterminded the conversion of the Church Hall in King Street, known then as Church House, into what is now known as Talla nan Ros.
Most recently the Wolf of Badenoch project has been completed by the BCP.
There has been a huge rise in padel participation and court development in the past decade through-out Europe with strongholds in Spain and Italy, and in the past 12 months in the UK with the sport spreading outwards from the South-East of England.
But in Scotland padel courts are just starting to pop up.
They are predominantly in the Central Belt meaning those in the strath wanting to play have to travel to either recently opened facilities in Gleneagles or more affordable sites in Edinburgh or Aberdeen.
However, that could soon change with a site identified in Kingussie at the former puttng green.
Those unable to make the meeting but keen to get involved can contact Mr Deans by email at kenny.deans@kcdc.co.uk .