Brechin Rugby Club has launched a crowdfunding bid to raise £300,000 for a new ground and clubhouse.
The club has been offered a 99 year lease from Angus Council for a two hectare site at Cookston Playing Fields, off Cookston Road, subject to committee approval.
In the past the club has shared facilities with other clubs, most recently the town’s cricket club, but has never its own clubrooms and for the past four years it has trained at the public park at Wards Road.
The club has several junior teams as well as Bruce, the only veterans team in Angus.
Gary Robertson, who is leading the project, said that bodies like the National Lottery, Scottish Rugby Union and SportScotland would be approached for financial support but it was essential for the club to raise as much money as possible from the community.
He said: “The crowdfunding will hopefully allow us to build a war chest because a lot of the grants are dependent on matched funding.
“It’s also a good way of building interest and awareness in our plans.”
The six-figure fundraising sum will be used to create a grassed playing field with floodlighting and fencing. The club also plan to create a new clubhouse.
Gary said: “The grassed playing field will be suitable mainly for rugby but for use by the whole community. This will be the only fully floodlit grassed area in the town.
“Our first steps are to…sow high amenity grass seed to form the playing area. The grassed area will be fenced off to keep dogs off the area.
“We will be erecting environmentally sensitive flood lighting taking into consideration neighbouring properties whilst making the facility useable through the long winter nights.
“We will have an early need for ground maintenance equipment such as mowers, line marking and strimmers to form and maintain the playing areas which cover an overall area of two hectares.
“There will be enough room for a full sized playing pitch with posts and a number of smaller pitches for the junior members of the club.
“The local schools will have the use of the pitches through the day as currently the High School team has to travel to other towns within Angus to play their games.”
Gary said he hoped that the ground would be suitable for playing and temporary accommodation ready as early as September.
The long term aim is to build a bespoke community facility with changing and shower rooms, offices, large communal area, kitchen and a garage for the ground maintenance equipment.
The new building will be built in an environmentally friendly way and will also include solar panels to help pay for energy requirements and hopefully provide a cash stream.
“Overall we know the project might take around two years and we’re really hoping we get a lot of support from people in the town.
“The project will not only enhance the town’s community facilities but it will help the club grow with a focal point for the club and a new sense of ownership and belonging.”
Donations can be made at www.crowdfunder.co.uk/brechin-rugby-club-new-playing-field-clubhouse.
