On Your Marks, Get Set, PH2O!

Regular readers will know that in my day job I do PR for various clients in Perth. One of my long-standing contracts is with Live Active Leisure and at the beginning of this year I was lucky enough to be involved with the launch of PH₂O, their 21st Centuary vision for sports and leisure in Perth.

Now, normally I try very hard not to let my day job influence this website. I need it to hold its own in terms of integrity and news. And so, when I go on to explain what I know about this project, and what I think it means to the people of Perth, I want you to understand that it is very much from the heart. This article is based on the knowledge I have gained from sitting listening to the Project Team and their clear, strong vision for this amazing project.  

For those that don't know, PH₂O is Live Active Leisure’s £25 million vision for delivering a sustainable hub of sports, leisure, play and physical activities in Perth City Centre. Launched in January 2014, PH₂O is a ‘one-stop’, 21^st century flagship facility based at the existing Perth Leisure Pool site. The plans include additional training pool provision, state of the art gym and fitness studios, an ice rink, health suite and an external adventure play zone.  It will also become a hub for sports and leisure in the Perth and Kinross area.

There has been £5million ring-fenced for the project by Perth and Kinross Council - can we just clear up now that Live Active Leisure isn't owned by Perth and Kinross Council. It is a separte entity altogether! Live Active Leisure has also earmarked £5million from their own capital investment fund and this has allowed movement into the phase one design stage, due to start in January. 

However, in order to fulfil their vision fully, they require an additional £15million of funding.

Now, in an innovative approach they are calling on the people and businesses of Perth and Kinross to show their support and confirm their backing for this ambitious project by simply logging on and registering their support online.

It is hoped that by clearly demonstrating the needs and wants of the local community they can influence potential funding bodies and business investors.    

Easy Peasy! If you're already sold on the idea you can show your support by signing their online form - do it here now!

MORE ABOUT PH₂O

In January this year, Live Active Leisure launched thier vision for PH₂O. This will be a sustainable hub of sports, leisure, play and physical activities in Perth City Centre. The plans include a ‘one-stop’, 21^st century flagship facility where you can swim, improve your fitness in the gym, attend a wide range of sports and physical activity classes, curl and skate. They hope to add to this by linking indoor and outdoor activity with an amazing outdoor area, brimming with play and exploration.

PH₂O has been cited as a ‘spend to save’ opportunity by the project board, with strong green credentials and wide reaching community benefits. This 'green' side of the project has come from the long term view of costs and energy consumption. As we all gain a growing understanding of the impacts of energy its easy to see that in venues that have less sophisticated systems it is important that our local Trust finds an improved, sustainable and flexible solution for leisure provision.  

As well as consumption, the long-term environmental effects of older pools, ice plants and large sports centres is a real problem. By reducing the consumption they can save energy, become more environmentally sustainable and build a very real, spend-to-save solution in PH₂O.

For me, witnessing up close the very real work that Live Active Leisure carries out in our communities makes backing this project a no-brainer.  From free swimming for under fives, to GP referrals and the Talented Athlete Scheme, I am a passionate supporter of LAL and all that it stands for.  The benefits to everyone, regardless of their status is plain to see.

Two of the PH₂O ambassadors brought home medals from both the Winter Olympics and the Commonwealth Games. Eve Muirhead and Stephen Milne are the types of postive role models we want for our children. Real live, local heroes. I honestly believe that PH₂O is the answer to fulfilling the sporting aspirations of future generations of world class athletes from across the entire Perth & Kinross area.

The vision is to create a captivating venue set in an iconic public space that will provide a unique experience and an unrivalled mix of more than twenty sports and leisure opportunities in the heart of the city of Perth.  They want to bring you a dynamic sports and leisure offer that you will find easy to reach, easy to access and that will allow them to commit to a long-term sustainable sport, leisure, fitness and general wellbeing opportunities for you, your children and beyond. This venue that will truly contribute to the quality of life of all of our community.

They are calling on you, as the people and businesses of Perth and Kinross, the real stakeholders in all of this, to offer your support so that they might carry your hopes and aspirations with them into the next round of funding applications and negotiations.

Please click onto their website and give your support now! It's easy, it's quick and I promise you won't be pestered by a million other petitions!  

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Full details on the project’s commitment to the environment, the community and the long-term financial stability of an affordable sports and leisure provision can be found on their website.