Work is now underway on Lanark's new pool and leisure centre which will be linked to the recently completed Harry Smith Complex.

The £8.9m project, which will be attached to the daycare centre for adults with disabilities, mirrors the South Lanarkshire Lifestyles in Eastfield, Rutherglen, which opened in 2004.

Councillor Gerry Convery, the chair of the council's Community Resources, said: "This is an important development for Lanark and is the latest in the council's ambitious leisure investment programme.

"Our aim is to provide the highest possible quality leisure facilities throughout South Lanarkshire and this new leisure building in Lanark will, I am sure, be warmly welcomed and offer the people, both in the community and the surrounding area, the opportunity to pursue an active and healthy lifestyle within such an excellent facility."

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The new facility, which replaces the 40-year-old Lanark Pool, health suite and gym in South Vennel, will provide a fantastic new asset for the people of Lanark and surrounding area.

The centre will have a 25m, six-lane pool with floating floor, pool-side sauna and steam rooms, changing facilities including disabled, family booths and school class areas, hydro-therapy pool fully accessible for disabled users, a fitness gym to suit all ages and fitness levels, a dance studio, indoor and outdoor changing rooms (for adjacent football pitch) and a café area to allow viewing between gym and pool.

Through its continued development partnership with sportscotland, the council was granted £560,000 of sports lottery funding towards the cost of the development.

Stewart Harris, the chief executive of sportscotland, said: "This new facility builds on South Lanarkshire's highly successful policy of creating integrated facilities to benefit the wider community and I am certain that this will become an important hub for the people of Lanark."

Ogilvie Construction Ltd, a company with a strong track record in leisure development is undertaking the work with the centre scheduled to open at the start of 2010. Its managing director, Phil McEwan, said: "We are delighted to be working with South Lanarkshire Council on this project which is a very important project for us."

(GK/JM)