Campaigners working to create a top-class £8.5million sports centre in an Aberdeenshire town are within touching distance of their goal.
The team fighting to bring the Banchory Sports Village to fruition said their dream was coming nearer to reality as they set their sights on closing a £50,000 gap.
Councillors backed outline proposals last October for the facility, which could be built on brownfield land in the Hill of Banchory area.
The Banchory Sports Village Trust were tasked with raising £700,000 by Aberdeenshire Council.
And the group has so far amassed £650,000 towards their target.
The news comes after the council lodged an application to create the leisure facility at the start of September.
The plans for the sports village include a six-lane swimming pool, a training pool, a three-court sports hall, fitness suite, squash courts, changing facilities, cafe and reception.
Banchory residents have been calling for upgraded sporting facilities for years, with the current swimming pool at Banchory Academy only 20m in length.
Fundraising manager for the trust, James Knowles, said: “The dream is coming nearer and nearer to reality and this is a perfect example of local involvement in fundraising.
“The contribution which has come from many large and small donations – all of equal importance – has ensured the facility will have a six lane pool and two squash courts which is what the community wanted.
“With two large donations recently from the rotary club (through) the Vintage Car Rally (of) £14,000, and from the Summer Marquee Ball (of) £37,500, the total collected is £650,000.
“This is indeed an exemplar of a community coming together to ensure the end result was what they wanted.
“People can look forward now to having a superb facility in the area for use by all ages from Banchory and the surrounding area.
“This project has been spoken about for many years but the finish line is in sight.
“However we still need to raise £50,000, and that challenge remains on the table. So it’s not finished. but we are in a better place than two years ago and all of us are delighted to say – ‘it’s happening'”.
If planning permission is granted, work could begin in summer, 2017 with a completion date of December, 2018.