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Live Active Memories

By 8th June 2016

We do love a bit of a story here at Small City so when our friends over at Live Active Leisure asked us to help them do a shout out for YOUR memories of their venues we decided that this week’s Fitness Column would be dedicated to exercising the old grey matter!  Instead of digging deep for that extra mile on the tread machine, we’re asking you to dig around in your memory vaults for tales of swimming in Dunkeld Road, netball at Bell’s Sports Centre and five aside at Strathearn.

I’m sure you’ll all know that Live Active Leisure are celebrating 50 years in the community this year (I have to say, Danny MacAskill summersaulting over a ball will remain one of my most enduring Bell’s Sport Centre memories!) and this autumn there will be a civic reception to commemorate the rle they have played in the lives of the people of Perthshire and Kinross.  

Danny MacAskill Cain 2

Which is why they need your help…

There are many, many important milestones in the history of the company but as an integral part of all our lives the team at LAL know that without YOUR memories their timeline is a series of buildings going up, changing hands and enjoying a refurb!

Yes, there have been awards and glowing achievements throughout their clubs, athletes and team members but the over-riding success stories and heartwarming tales of LAL come from the day-to-day involvement of all of us.

For me, I will always remember my Uncle George patiently teaching me to swim in the soldier pool of the old Dunkeld Road swimmies.  The thrill of achieving that first certificate, the joy at squealing down the flumes in the brand new, super shiny Perth Leisure Pool and, a few years later of taking my own son to the baby pool for the very first time. 

LAL memories plant treeI can see thirteen year old me with Judi and Kelly, hanging out in Bell’s Café (which was where the Studio is now) after a game of badminton, scoffing down chips and cans of coke to restore the thousands of teenage calories that we burned off just by cheering loudly.  Years later I recall the smiling faces of Cain’s friends in the new Bell’s café after his 6th Birthday Party which was a bouncy castle and crazy run around.  

I know from the few years I have been writing for Live Active that there are many, many more stories out there.  From GP referrals to marathon training, fundraising for your own local sports club to cheering on our Olympic contenders, the venues of Live Active Leisure hold a place in all of our hearts.

Do you remember Bell’s Sports Centre being built? Are you a Live Active Leisure Holiday Hero? Were you first down the slide at Perth Leisure Pool? Did you train for a marathon in Breadalbane gym, fundraise for Strathearn, learn to lift weights in Pitlochry or play your best ever game of basketball at Loch Leven? Whatever it is, we want to know about it and if there are photographs, so much the better!

We are looking for the following:

  • People who would like to do a short piece to camera chatting about their most prominent memory of the last 50 years of Live Active Leisure in Perth.
  • Photographs of you, your children, your parents, your grandparents or clubs in any of the Live Active Leisure venues from the past 50 years.
  • Short stories or anecdotes sent via email or social media – we can even call to get more info if you’d prefer.

Remember, this is 50 years of Live Active and your memories will help us tell the story of how the modern day company came to be.  So do please include the old venues that evolved into the new ones, the clubs from days gone by that may not exist any longer and the instructors, sports leaders and team members that may have moved on to pastures new.   

Swim and Skate - Little Boy on SlideVenues we'd love to hear about:

  1. Bell’s Sports Centre
  2. Perth Leisure Pool – And Dunkeld Road Baths
  3. Live Active Rodney
  4. Live Active Letham Centre
  5. Dewars Centre
  6. North Inch Community Campus
  7. Glenearn Community Campus
  8. George Duncan Athletics
  9. Blairgowrie Community Centre
  10. Live Active Blairgowrie
  11. Live Active Auchterarder
  12. Strathearn Community Campus
  13. Live Active Atholl – Pitlochry
  14. Breadalbane Community Centre
  15. Live Active Loch Leven
  16. Loch Leven Community Campus
  17. Kinloch Rannoch Outdoor Centre
  18. Blackwater Outdoor Centre

Get involved:

Email us your images, stories or request to join in via a video chat to nicola@theredstringagency.co.uk

If you’d like to post your photographs, please send to our office and remember to include a return address. We promise to scan your images and return to you safe and sound.

Small City, Big Personality
8 Atholl Crescent
Perth
PH1 5NGSwim and Skate - girls with goggles at the edge of the pool.

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