A HOWWOOD ice rink has been handed a six-figure funding boost to help it cope with the coronavirus pandemic.

Bosses at Greenacres Curling Ltd have welcomed the £139,000 windfall, which aims to ensure the rink is able to reopen safely once lockdown restrictions are lifted.

The Ice Rink Support Fund, distributed by sportscotland, is supporting 12 rinks across Scotland and is part of a £55million emergency sports funding package from the Scottish Government.

Richard Harding, director of Greenacres Curling Ltd, told The Gazette: “We are very pleased to be receiving support from sportscotland, which is now vital to our future curling operations.

“Greenacres is one of the busiest curling rinks in Scotland and not only serves clubs in Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, North and East Ayrshire and Inverclyde but, with the closure of Braehead Curling last year, is now home to many curlers from Greater Glasgow and East and West Dunbartonshire.”

Only 12 days of curling took place at Greenacres during the 2020/2021 season.

However, Mr Harding said: “We are hoping that we can welcome our curlers back in September.

“We hope progress against the current pandemic will allow curling to be played as close as possible to the game enjoyed so much by our curlers until March 2020.”

Stewart Harris, chief executive of sportscotland, added: “We know this investment will be welcomed by the clubs and the communities they serve.

“We hope it will provide some reassurance and allow the ice rinks to plan for both their immediate and longer-term futures.

“These are very challenging times and it is important that we continue to work together with our partners across the whole sporting system to ensure that sport and physical activity is in good shape and ready to play its part in the recovery of the nation.”