The dedicated teams tasked with keeping South Ayrshire spick and span are to benefit from a specially designed centre which caters for their specific needs.
The new facility at the Walker Road depot in Ayr has now opened its doors, providing a base for more than 150 people. The £1.9million project has provided a two-storey building that will house 124 waste management staff, alongside 38 people from grounds maintenance and sustainability. The complex provides shower blocks, locker rooms, laundry facilities, a canteen, training rooms, as well as flexible office accommodation on the first floor. The building will be heated using a biomass boiler system, which is both better for the environment and cheaper to run.
The ten month project was delivered on time and on budget. The main contractor was Maxi Construction Ltd. Councillor John McDowall, Portfolio Holder for Sustainability and Environment, said the project delivered real benefits, "The new centre at Walker Road heralds a new chapter for staff, many of who are faced with a challenging, physical routine each and every day. "By providing a purpose-built resource that meets the needs of a wide-range of people involved in neighbourhood services, we've created a modern facility that will deliver a step change in the way we work.
"The project will also help to promote closer team working – something that will be invaluable as we encourage greater recycling rates and champion higher levels of sustainability in South Ayrshire."