Benbecula Sport & Leisure
celebrate community buyout
After a four year campaign, culminating in overwhelming support in a recent public ballot, Benbecula Sport & Leisure Community Company (BSLCC) have officially taken control of several parcels of former MoD land in and around the Balivanich area.
The papers confirming the formal handover were signed earlier this week, on 31st March, signalling the go-ahead for the community company to move forward with development projects which will see community sporting facilities built on the edge of Balivanich.
BSLCC is an umbrella body with several groups represented, including Uist Camanachd, the Uist & Barra Football League and the Uist Community Riding School. The community company is open to all sport and leisure groups in the islands and is keen to welcome all interested groups.
‘We are obviously delighted to have come this far,’ said BSLCC vice-chairman, Calum Morrison. ‘But it must be kept in mind that the past four years have been all about reaching the starting line. It is now that we have secured the land that the hard work of developing the sites really begins.
‘Now we can approach the large funding organisations who need to know that you have the land before unlocking their funds,’ he explained.
‘We would like to thank the Comhairle for providing the majority of the money to buy the land and the HIE Community Land Unit for providing most of the remainder. We thank local companies and of course the hard work of local fundraisers for making up the balance.’
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