Live Life Aberdeenshire, Huntly Community Engagement

What you told us

As part of our ongoing commitment to support place planning in Huntly, Live Life Aberdeenshire (LLA) undertook a consultation to review how its venues in the town are operating. The aim was to help shape the place-based vision for the LLA service, ensure appropriate use of our buildings, and identify opportunities for facility and programme development.

The consultation also sought to clarify LLA’s role within the context of the Huntly Campus Place Plan, ensuring that any recommendations for future LLA provision in Huntly complement the work already being carried out by the community.

A simple survey was made available to individuals and community groups between 23rd July and 18th August 2025. This was followed by three in-person engagement sessions held at the Linden Centre in late August 2025. The survey was promoted online through LLA’s social media platforms and via app notifications sent to over 6000 customers who had been active on the Huntly app site over the previous six months. Hard copy surveys were also advertised and made available at LLA venues in the Huntly area throughout the consultation period.

We received 260 participant responses to the online survey, with 91% of respondents doing so as individuals and 9% associated with a group or organisation. Three in-person sessions took place at the Linden Centre, with representation from many different stakeholders.

Responder usage

Membership:

• 148 respondents held a library membership

• 121 held a gym/pool/group exercise membership

• 43 had no membership

Frequency of Use:

• Weekly: 69.3%

• Monthly: 18.9%

• Occasionally: 11.9%

Most Used Venues:

• Huntly Swimming Pool (182)

• Huntly Library (149)

• Stewarts Hall (106)

• Nordic Ski Centre (83)

• Linden Centre (79)

Facility Satisfaction

Most Satisfied:

• Huntly Swimming Pool: 91 satisfied, 55 very satisfied

• Nordic Ski Centre: 44 satisfied, 40 very satisfied

• Stewarts Hall: 72 satisfied, 26 very satisfied

Least Satisfied:

• Linden Centre and Huntly Library had higher neutral and dissatisfied responses

Key themes (online survey and in-person):

Lack of Awareness

A significant number of respondents (122) cited a lack of awareness about available services and activities as a barrier to using LLA venues. This concern was echoed during the in-person sessions, where participants suggested the need for improved communication and marketing to better inform the community. Recommendations included opening times listed on buildings to more effective use of local community social media pages.

Facility Access

Sixty-seven respondents identified opening hours as a barrier. During the in-person discussions, the rationale behind changes to facility opening hours and operating standards - implemented to ensure service sustainability - was explained. Participants expressed interest in exploring extended or more flexible access options to improve usage and accessibility. Suggestions included re-evaluating how the swimming pool and gym could better meet the needs of residents who wish to use the facilities early in the morning or after work.

Feedback on access also covered the costs and processes involved in hiring buildings. Friends of the Stewarts Hall expressed concern that pricing was discouraging groups from hiring the venue. There was discussion around the use of promotional pricing to encourage bookings - better some usage than none. Participants also discussed recent changes to booking procedures and the need to make the hiring process less bureaucratic and more user-friendly.

Accessibility

Accessibility was identified as a barrier by only 9 survey respondents. However, feedback from the in-person sessions highlighted specific issues, particularly the lack of lift provision in Huntly buildings. This was noted as a concern at both the Brander Building and the Linden Centre where many of the users are young children with buggies or older adults, in a town with an ageing population.

Underutilised Venues

There was strong community interest in revitalising local spaces. Participants agreed that the buildings themselves contribute to the town’s pride, and that it is important they are maintained and not left empty - regardless of their specific use.

The Linden Centre, Huntly Library, and Stewarts Hall were most frequently identified in the survey as venues that could benefit from redesign or programming review. In-person discussions recalled the Linden Centre’s former role as a community hub, which included a café and drop-in access.

Integrated Services

A significant majority (67.5%) supported the integration of different services or activities within the same building. This reflects strong community support for co-located or shared-use facilities, which could improve both efficiency and accessibility.

Examples from other areas were discussed, demonstrating how co-location has increased service opening hours, availability and increased usage.

Facility Condition and Toilet Access

Concerns were raised regarding the condition and usage of facilities such as the Cooper Park and Market Muir pavilions. Feedback focused on the need for public toilet access, particularly around Cooper Park, to support families using play equipment and visiting tourists. As LLA does not operate public toilet facilities, the service confirmed it would declare these buildings surplus to its requirements and return them to the Council’s Estates Team. Discussions at the in-person sessions also outlined the financial limitations of the capital budget, highlighting the need to prioritise spending on essential infrastructure.

Heritage

A recurring theme was the desire for a dedicated heritage space to support tourism and celebrate local history. LLA remains committed to supporting the Museum of Aberdeenshire and welcomes any community-led initiatives to explore heritage provision in Huntly.

Other developments

The provision of soft play was highlighted as a potential market, as families in Huntly currently need to travel elsewhere to access such facilities.

Suggestions were also made to expand the tarmac area at the Nordic Centre to further support the development of activities taking place at this unique facility.

What we are doing

Post-Consultation Update

Following the consultation, a feedback meeting was held with the Huntly Town Team in October to share the general findings and outline the next steps.

Estate Planning

Live Life Aberdeenshire has updated its estate plan and confirmed that the Cooper Park Pavilion and Market Muir Pavilion will be declared surplus to LLA’s facility portfolio. The intention is now to encourage community groups to propose new uses for these buildings.

Facility Investment Potential

LLA is working with the Council’s architectural team to explore options for investing modestly the Linden Centre, to create into a more inclusive community hub.

This process will include a mapping exercise to review the current use of the LLA buildings in the town and identify the potential use of available space.

There is also potential for a district heating power system at the Linden Centre. LLA will facilitate a discussion with property service and the community at the nearest opportunity.

Stakeholder Engagement

Direct engagement is now underway with stakeholders, including community groups and service providers at LLA facilities, to discuss the service intentions and help them and understand their own future planning.

Hires & Charges

We will continue to gather customer feedback on how the new hire process is bedding in and will maintain benchmarking of facility charges to ensure fairness and competitiveness.

You can view the original project here: Live Life Aberdeenshire, Huntly Community Engagement | Engage Aberdeenshire