Edinburgh’s new Meadowbank Sports Centre has opened after a five-year, £47m build which saw the demolition of the original Meadowbank Stadium on the site.

The original Meadowbank was constructed for the 1970 Commonwealth Games, which it hosted in 1970 and 1986.

Owned by The City of Edinburgh Council and managed by charity Edinburgh Leisure, the new facility offers a comprehensive range of inclusive sports and leisure facilities that are aimed at serving everyone in the local community.

“Participation and accessibility are at the heart of the centre, and it will bring huge physical, mental, and social benefits to generations of local people for years to come,” said said Cammy Day, City of Edinburgh Council leader.

“There’s a packed programme of activity and range of classes for all interests and ability.

“Meadowbank has been an iconic part of the capital’s sporting history and I’m in no doubt that the new centre will build on this legacy.”

Meadowbank’s facilities include an eight-lane athletics track with 499-person seat stand (as well as an outdoor throwing and jumps area); a six-lane indoor running track; two multi-sport halls (with movable and fixed seating – and height-adapted basketball for wheelchair users); a hall for trampolining and dance; two fitness studios (92 classes offered, including Les Mills); 30-capacity cycle studio with Life Fitness IC7 bikes and ICG My Ride; a gym fitted out with Life Fitness equipment and also including Wattbikes, SkiErg, row and Cybex Sparc machines, resistance and free weights; two squash courts; a combat studio for martial arts, a boxing gym and two pitches (one with 499-person seat stand).

Sport Scotland had invested £5m into the development.

Mel Young, chair of Sport Scotland said: “Meadowbank Sports Centre has been a sporting and social hub for so many people in the Edinburgh area over the years. Thanks to this incredible £47m refurbishment, people of all ages and abilities will be able to reap the benefits of the newly refurbished facilities.

“The re-opening of Meadowbank will provide the local community with access to a state-of-the-art sport and physical activity centre on their doorstep, creating significant participation opportunities. This collaboration between The City of Edinburgh Council, Edinburgh Leisure and Sport Scotland is a great example of partnerships working, developing genuine opportunities that will help make sport and physical activity a way of life for local people.’’

Leisure Media has been tracking the development of Meadowbank over the years, from the first redevelopment consultation in 2016, to reporting on the two filed planning applications in 2018 and the start of demolition work on the existing building in 2019.