Work begins on karate training space in Saltcoats rail station

Work to convert an unused space at Saltcoats railway station into a ‘training station’ for the local karate club has begun thanks to a series of community grants.The near £500,000 project has received funding, including £83,300 from ScotRail’s Station Community Regeneration Funding (SCRF), £131,711 from the Railway Heritage Trust, £50,000 from North Ayrshire Council’s Community Investment Fund, and £76,000 from Sport Scotland.The new Shibumi Karate Club training station will see the conversion and refurbishment of an unused space at Saltcoats railway station to form a new, fully accessible community space.The large multi-functional space will include the construction of a toilet and changing room, Wi-Fi network, and a multimedia screen and projector for training, local meetings and presentations.The work is expected to take around three months to complete.