Leisure facilities in east Perthshire are “outdated and inadequate”, according to an irate councillor.
Caroline Shiers, one of the councillors for the Blairgowrie and Glens ward, fears the area could lose out on the “legacy” of big-name sports events held in Perthshire last year.
The Scottish Conservative spoke out after a council meeting discussed the aftermath of events like the Ryder Cup.
She said: “The idea of a legacy from the events is not something that we are confident will be delivered.
“Residents in east Perthshire who use local facilities know that ours are outdated and inadequate for the needs of the community.
“There is a huge demand for all-weather pitches, improvements to the gym facilities and to the pool and the well-used recreation centre.
“As yet there is no plan in place to improve and increase facilities and yet we see applications for more and more housing.
“We also have an increasingly active population of older people who are looking for leisure and recreation facilities.”
She continued: “As the largest town in Perthshire, we need to ensure we have a plan in place to deliver the improvements needed. That means we need to be ready to explore all funding options available.
“Once the bunting has been removed and the Junior Ryder Cup signs taken down in east Perthshire, where is the evidence on the ground of a real legacy of improvements to sports facilities to encourage everyone to get active, which is what government at local and national level are encouraging?
“I sincerely hope that we really can move forward on this and come up with deliverable plans.”
A spokesman for Perth and Kinross Council said £150,000 has been allocated to improve Blairgowrie Recreation Centre.
She continued: “The council has invested in the community campus facilities, which has provided an additional multi-use games area and sports hall in Blairgowrie. We have also reviewed the access arrangements based on demand from the community to increase the availability of the hall.
“Council officers are currently reviewing all levels of public outdoor sports provision in Perth and Kinross, including Blairgowrie and Rattray, in order to ensure levels of provision are equitable and sustainable within the resources available.”