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00:00I mean obviously it's coming together, final stages now, it must be very exciting because obviously, you know, this and various other projects are all starting to...
00:07It certainly is, it's fantastic for Inveress. Next year is going to be a fantastic year. Everything opening next year, really is good.
00:16Obviously, the Buck Park and the Norrmeton Park will hopefully finish by March. The Castle, late summer, Wind Park, big investment there, Easter time there.
00:32And obviously we're still putting the Riverside away and we're spending a lot of money on the swimming pool as well.
00:37For the time it's been so hard and tough, but actually Inveress is doing well above its weight.
00:43Yeah, and the facility here as well, I mean obviously, as we were saying, it's very exciting for the Shinty community as well because it's a purpose-built museum.
00:53For Inveress, well I think for Scotland, it's a one-off as far as I know, to have that and the home of Shinty, as we call the Buck Park.
01:00But even this facility, I think when people come to major sporting events, they expect this and they've never had this in Inveress before for a long time.
01:08So this is us bringing it up to the current century and I think it's something to be really proud of.
01:14Yeah, and I mean, obviously as it's nearing its final stages, you must have been starting to get some feedback from people who've either seen the building as it's been coming together,
01:23or getting excited that it's just around the corner effectively, or it's just a few months away.
01:28I think once the scaffolding is done, people get impatient. They think it's about to open. Unfortunately, there's still quite a lot of work to do yet.
01:35But no, I think it's just they'll be so keen to see the facility, especially the Inveresians who were brought up with this and knew what it was like.
01:42And especially with the stand, we've kept it looking as it was. It's an improvement. We haven't destroyed it.
01:48But the changing rooms are the biggest because they were pretty horrendous.
01:54Earlier they were saying that the grandstand, it's been a sympathetic refurbishment. It's been standardised. It was a bit ad hoc to repairs previously.
02:05Whereas this refers to top standard, but all universal.
02:11People also recognise it. But it's a huge improvement. People actually get to use it.
02:17It's not been any event that was always busy, but people will be rushing to get there now.
02:21Because obviously, it's the best view of any events we've had, be it the Highland Games or Shinty Finals.
02:26Excellent. Are there any particular aspects of the project that you've found particularly exciting to see come together?
02:32Or that you're particularly looking forward to seeing in action?
02:35I suppose the main thing is the stand. But this, where we are just now, having the Shinty Museum, and obviously this function room up here,
02:43there can be 90-odd people, and as you can tell, the view's fantastic.
02:47And just the occasional days it rains here, warm and dry.
02:51And also, for the big events that are held here as well, not just the sporting events, but the other events that are held on the book,
02:58it must be great to have these additional facilities for them as well.
03:02I think it'll attract more events. Because obviously, anyone seeing the pictures, when it opens up,
03:08I think it's all positive. I've heard no negativity about it at all.
03:12Which is, again, amazing. Because the minute you change something, people who have been brought up here don't want it changed,
03:18they like it as it was. But I think it's all been sympathetic. And this building does blend in well.
03:23Excellent. Well, thanks so much for your time.
03:27The net zero's good as well, the heating. Because obviously, it's all air source.
03:32So it's green. That's the thing as well.
03:36Definitely. Obviously, with that, you've got the Archimedes screw nearby as well.
03:42When you walk from the Ness Bridge, you come here, you've got the Cathedral.
03:47There's the Archives Centre. There's the Leisure Complex.
03:51It's sustained, and you have no meat in park. You have this facility.
03:55The islands. Even the gathering place.
03:58It's a lovely part of the city to wander around. Just don't believe the rest of the time.
04:03It's like 20 minutes to go from the hospice to the wind park.
04:0920 minutes. Nice, gentle stroll.
04:12I mean, we are so fortunate. The complaints I get, it's obvious it's all once you're in the river.
04:18But it's all here. It's so good.
04:20And obviously, the rest is okay, because we have bus drivers, the buses run fine, and you can get to places.
04:26But no, we are so fortunate.