COMMENT: Stadium plan needs to come to fruition

Today we learn that demolition could start as early as next autumn with a £41 million replacement delivered by 2019.

The city council has committed to spending hundreds of thousands on detailed blueprints which will outline a plan for funding the revamp.

All good so far and all going well we will be left with a desperately needed modern outdoor athletics track, sports pitches, gymnastics hall and all the associated facilities. Not perhaps the all-singing, all-dancing stadium which Meadowbank was in its day but certainly facilities fit for the 21st century.

At least that is the plan.

Many today will be forgiven for not holding their breath about the latest proposals. We have been here before and schemes have come and gone.

The challenge for the council is to finally follow this through to fruition.

Put simply if this investment is not made then Meadowbank, with its proud history of staging Commonwealth Games and nurturing Olympic stars, will close for good.

In an Olympic year, what better a signal for the city council to send than committing to investing in the health of its citizens and encouraging a lifelong love of sport in youngsters?

We need heroes

TODAY the Evening News launches its search for the Local Heroes of 2016.

We know there’s a legion of people across the region working tirelessly behind the scenes day in and day out, often without the recognition they deserve.

This is your chance to give them their moment in the spotlight, to honour the ordinary people who do the extraordinary.

Don’t delay, get nominating. You’ll find full details on pages 14-15 today.