The depute provost of Angus said he believes Forfar’s demolition-earmarked Lochside Leisure Centre in Forfar could still be an asset for the town.
As interested parties were given a look round the boarded up building just days before the authority is due to pen the contract for the bulldozers to move in, Independent town councillor Colin Brown spoke of the £300,000 saving the council would make if the demolition decision was reversed.
Council staff re-opened the centre, which closed in February 2017, to allow only those who had previously expressed an interest to be given a tour.
Mr Brown, who previously branded the centre “a monstrosity” and a risk to public safety, said: “I hope this is decided one way or the other.
“If it is staying it would be an asset to the town, if it is going to be demolished they (the demolition team) should be in immediately for public safety.
“If delayed it could hit the peak summer season at the caravan park. If it doesn’t get knocked down it’s a saving of £300,000.
“I am sick of the ups and downs and disappointed it has taken so long to come to this stage.”
Fellow Forfar councillor, SNP member Lynne Devine, expressed her concern over any possible demolition.
She said: “We took a decision last May to demolish the building (with the funds secured in the budget), but nothing happened.
“The chief executive wanted to be clear about the state of the building and asked for a special audit report to be brought to the Scrutiny and Audit Committee, which confirmed we had taken the right decision in May 2018.
“The building was not fit for purpose and now we find out there is a viewing of the building again despite the fact tenders for demolition are being examined. Another committee decision has been revoked without anyone being told.
“We really are up against the clock here, as the caravan park opens at Easter.
“I would really like to see the building gone and the land, which is a country park, restored.
“I’m looking forward to a much more open aspect without the eyesore obscuring the view of the loch.”
Among those who toured the building were local developers Mark Guild and Donald Stewart, Judith Leslie, manager of Angus Care and Repair, and Shona Forbes and Jennifer Meek of the Phoenix Gymnastics Club.
The club has spent £5,000 for planning permission for a steel unit in the former tennis courts and is currently working through a community asset transfer process for the site.
Surveyors who produced a report for Mr Guild have suggested the centre has 30 years of life left in it.
The parties now have under a week to lodge a formal written offer with a closing date for offers set for Wednesday January 30.
