Nairn councillors set to decide on cash for splashpad follow-up – but funding is short
The community group behind the popular Nairn splashpad hopes to secure £79,000 funding for phase two of its mission to brighten up the town’s links.
It’s one of four funding bids going before Nairn area committee next week.
However, the four community bids add up to £153,456 and there’s only £83,456 in the pot.
This leaves Nairnshire councillors with a tough decision to make.
The committee meets on Monday to consider bids for its share of the Highland Coastal Communities Fund and Place Based Investment Fund.
These pots provide funding for Nairn community groups to improve their local area.
The funding has proved enormously popular, with this round of applications totalling nearly double the available funding.
The biggest bid comes from Nairn Improvement Community Enterprise (NICE), run by Team Hamish. Team Hamish was set up in memory of eight-year-old Hamish Hey, who died of cancer in 2017. His family raised £200,000 to install a splashpad at the links.
Now, they say the project has acted as a catalyst for further regeneration in the area. They want to refurbish the mini golf course and putting green, as well as adding a new path and terraced seating on the grassy banks.
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NICE has asked for £79,000 against a total project cost of £227,000. They have already secured match funding for the difference.
However, they face competition from two other local groups.
Nairn BID has two projects in contention for funding. The first, a series of new brown tourist signs, for which they have requested £6540.
The second, a heritage trail telling local stories through digital and print interpretive resources. The BID team say this will promote slow tourism and active travel in the area.
Nairn BID say the heritage trail will cost in the region of £87,000. They have already secured most of the funding, and hope the coastal communities and place-based funding streams will cover the remaining £10,000.
Finally, Nairn Access Panel has applied for £57,332 towards the creation of a beach access platform and ramp. This will be positioned in Marine Road near the splashpad, and will help disabled people to enjoy the beach.
The panel has already secured funding of £60,000 for the £117,332 project.
Highland Council finance officers have looked over the applications and confirmed they all meet the funding criteria.
This leaves Nairn members with the tough task of deciding which of these deserving community projects should get the money.
