Ladywood Leisure Centre, based in Penicuik, offers a variety of sports and social clubs for the local community. The area outside the centre was previously overgrown and unsuitable for holding outdoor activities.

Hart Builders, which has built 17 flats for social rent, 31 homes for rent and a 32-bed extra care complex for Midlothian Council in nearby Eastfield Drive, offered the centre help as part of its commitment to supporting local communities it works in.

Work has begun to give the centre’s outdoor area a complete facelift, and create a community garden that will benefit various groups at the leisure centre.
Hart Builders is providing labour and materials to transform the space. They will be completing tasks such as removing overgrown plants, upgrading the step into the community centre and creating a new patio area.

A local community group, Penicuik Men’s Shed, are also getting involved by building planters, from excess wood at the site, for the garden.

The leisure centre’s youth club is taking part in a competition to create drawings inspired by what the centre means to them. An artist will use the winning drawings to feature in a mural being placed on the side wall of the leisure centre.

The mural will showcase the many activities on offer at the centre such as boxing, table tennis, mum and baby club, knit and natter club and more.

Iain Ramage, centre manager at Ladywood Leisure Centre, said: “This project has been on our wish list for some time, our youth club are keen to start growing their own plants and many of our clubs, including senior citizens groups are looking forward to the enhanced outlook the new garden provides.

“As well as improving our centre visually we would like to point out how friendly and accommodating the team working on the garden have been, we will miss them when the project is complete. Thank you for your generosity Hart!”

Andy Mallice, managing director of Hart Builders, said: “We’re committed to supporting good causes in the local areas that we work in. We’re delighted to help create this new community garden for Ladywood Leisure Centre, where we have delivered many new homes nearby. We hope the garden will provide a fantastic resource for the centre and the local people who use it.”