Pupils check out 2014 Games arena

Oct 5 2012

Primary school children are to try out some Commonwealth Games sports at one of the main 2014 venues when it officially opens.

They will join politicians and 2014 Games organisers on a tour of the new Emirates Arena which includes the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, the National Indoor Sports Arena and three full-size sports halls.

The £113 million complex in the east end of Glasgow was funded by the city council and national agency sportscotland. It was named the Emirates Arena in a deal struck with the Middle Eastern airline last week, although the sponsorship will be removed for the duration of the Games.

Pupils from across the city will be able to try their hand at athletics, badminton, basketball, football, netball and track cycling.

Professional basketball team Glasgow Rocks will also have an open training session before their first match at the indoor arena.

Earlier this week Sir Chris Hoy cycled the first lap in the velodrome named in his honour and said that the venue is "fantastic".

He said: "It's amazing to finally see it in the flesh. I've seen lots of pictures of it and I was here a number of years ago when it was just a load of wasteland, and to see the scale of it now is fantastic. It's great fun to ride on, very smooth, very quick. So I think there's going to be some great racing here."

The arena covers 10.5 hectares and also has a Glasgow Club health and fitness centre, a luxury spa, an outdoor 1km closed cycle circuit and four outdoor five-a-side football pitches.

It will host eight Scottish, European or world-level sporting events in its first four months, including the Track World Cup in the velodrome in November. It will also be open for community use.

The arena took two years to build, with 500 people working on the site during peak construction, according to the council. Around 175 people work there now.