It’s been all go at Ayr Rugby Club with phase 1 of the Macdonald Legacy development underway on the 11th of March. The main contractors, WH Malcolm have been busy on site, constructing a new barrier into the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum car park and installing safety fencing in the Museum grounds to keep the attraction safe for visitors. Tree surgeons have been busy removing trees and scrub from the footprint of the new access road which will connect Millbrae with Murdoch’s Lone.
Thursday the 4th of April was a historic day for the club as a section of the red sandstone wall that separated Millbrae and the Burns Museum came crashing down with the help of a 14-tonne excavator. Within seconds the new opening was created marking a new dawn for the club. The proceedings were watched by Ron Lidell (Project Manager, Rydens), Brian Williamson (Chairman, Ayr Rugby Club), Alan Macdonald (Macdonald Legacy), and Walter Malcolm (Managing Director, WH Malcolm)
The ambitious plan to develop Millbrae as a sporting and community development is now a reality with phase 1 (New access road & car parking) and phase 2 (All-weather pitch and floodlighting) expected to be completed by November 2024. This will be followed by phase 3 which will include refurbishment and extension of the current clubhouse to make a new gym, café, studio and gender-neutral accessible changing facilities.
Brian Williamson, Ayr RFC Chairman said, “All of this has only been made possible by the funding provided by the Macdonald Legacy and the assistance given by the National Trust for Scotland and South Ayrshire Council. Together we have worked through complex negotiations to secure the necessary land and servitude rights to form the new access road from Murdoch’s Lone to Millbrae. This will be a game changer and make the facilities of Ayr Rugby Club accessible to all for generations to come.”
Alan Macdonald, who set up Macdonald Legacy in memory of his son Barry said, “This is a significant moment for Ayr Rugby Club and the wider community. I am delighted that work has started and would like to thank everybody who has helped us get to this point.”
