A former footballer turned mental health advocate is leading calls for Perth’s Rodney Pavilion to reopen as a gym.
Murray McDowell battled alcoholism, drugs and a gambling addiction – but says focusing on fitness brought him back from his lowest ebb.
The 46 -year-old runs his own gym at Bridgend in Perth, where he helps people who are struggling with their own mental health.
And he is now working with a group who want to buy the shuttered Rodney Pavilion and re-open it as a community asset.
The venue operated as a gym from 1987-2022 when all its fitness equipment was moved to the Bell’s Sports Centre.
Perth and Kinross Council put it up for sale last summer after a failed attempt at a community asset transfer.
A new owner is expected to be named this spring.
Murray says he’s excited to be part of the latest attempt to bring the much-loved pavilion in Rodney Gardens back into community use.
“There might be glimmer of hope,” he said.
“The Rodney would be perfect for what we want to do.”
Murray McDowell: ‘I lost the plot’
Murray, from Perth, started his professional football career at Cowdenbeath.
He played for clubs like Partick Thistle and Arbroath, before going on to enjoy a successful career in junior football.
Later he managed sides such as Jeanfield Swifts.
He was working as a fitness coach at Dundee FC when his life started spiralling out of control.
Murray’s partner and his brother both died in quick succession in 2022.
His mental health deteriorated and he found himself jobless, homeless and battling addiction on a number of fronts.
“I lost the plot,” he said.
“I was drinking, I was taking drugs, I was gambling and getting into all kinds of trouble in the town.”
An old friend came to the rescue with a place to stay. Another made a life-changing offer – escape from it all for a month or two at her place in Sri Lanka.
Murray took the chance. He got clean. He got fit again. And he resolved to turn his experiences into a force for good.
He’s doing well now, with a new partner, Nicola Bonthrone, who’s helping him to run the Routine Health and Fitness gym at Bridgend.
There, the focus is as much on mental health as physical fitness.
Murray’s mental health eight-week switch transformation programme is designed to help people suffering from mental illness or addiction commit to a healthier lifestyle and make more positive life choices.
It involves exercise, nutrition and a “re-connection” programme, aimed at combating isolation.
Bid to keep Rodney at heart of community
Murry says he spent much of 2023 in talks with Perth and Kinross Council about re-opening the Rodney pavilion as mental health hub.
“The council were in favour of the plans and were extremely helpful,” he said.
“But trying to bring so many people together was tough and we simply ran out of time before it went to market.”
His hopes were raised again when he made contact with another group of local business people, who have made an offer to buy the building from the council.
They want to return the Rodney Pavilion to community use, with space for start-up businesses, as well as a cafe and a gym.
Murray says it would be a chance to return the Rodney to its rightful place at the heart of local life.
Uncertain times for Perth sports provision
The pavilion sits at the entrance to Rodney Gardens beside the River Tay.
Built in 1932, it was last used as a gym by Live Active Leisure (LAL) and had a £250,000 upgrade in 2014.
LAL moved out in 2022, amid reports the building needed £600,000 of maintenance.
Its equipment was moved to Bell’s Sports Centre and the Rodney was put up for sale.
However, the Bell’s Centre has been out of use since last October when the building was deluged after the North Inch floodgates were left open.
It is now slated for closure – along with Perth Leisure Pool and Dewars Ice Rink – as part of a council plan to axe the loss-making venues and replace them with a new centre on a single site.
Estate agents were promoting the Rodney Pavilion as a “leisure/development opportunity” when it went on the market last July.
It’s understood a number of bidders came forward. But there has been no update on the sale since then.
A Perth and Kinross Council spokesperson said: “A closing date has been set and offers will be presented to the property sub-committee to decide a preferred bidder this spring.”
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