Inverclyde Sports Centre was praised as being the pioneer in sports complexes around Scotland in a glowing endorsement.

As the former Hills Hotel was sadly demolished last week, we look back in our archive to discover that the sports centre, which was opened by the Queen in 1958, was actually revolutionary in Scotland.

In an article in 1974, principal Altham Turner said: “In the past ten years, the number of organisations using Inverclyde Recreation Centre, has trebled, and the number of people using it has more than doubled.” Mr Turner referred to it as a ‘University of Sport’, and the ‘News’ asked if readers were aware that the Largs centre had grown in prominence in the Scottish sporting world with an international reputation for top rate facilities.

“Ironically, it is probably better known outside Largs and district than in it.” commented the principal.

“Do local people who vaguely know the place realise they are actually accommodating Scotland’s University of Sport? I very much doubt if the average Largs citizen knows what they have on their doorstep; they may know that’s where the Scottish team train, but what use would a ‘university’ be if it only dealt with one subject?

“Everyone connected with sporting life happens at Inverclyde, from handball to hockey, from judo to table-tennis. Every national team uses Inverclyde. Apart from Scotland manager Willie Ormond and his international footballers, frequent visitors are the Scottish Lacrosse Association, the Scottish Weightlifting Association, The Scottish Cricket Union and so on.” As Mr Turner remarked proudly: “Inverclyde is the only complex of its kind in the country. It was from Inverclyde that all other centres in Scotland sprang, Meadowbank, Bellahouston and Bishopbriggs to name but three - but Inverclyde was the pioneer.” Originally the 78 acre estate of Inverclyde belonged to the Scott family of Greenock, and it was in turn, a military base before being taken over by the Scottish Council for Physical Recreation and established as Scotland’s national recreation centre in 1958, with help from the King George VI Foundation.

The ‘News’ reported that squash courts had been added in the early 1970s, and proposals for a new dining hall and lecture hall were in the offing.

Mr Turner, who had been principal since 1962, also revealed that Inverclyde was concentrating on a new watersports centre for Cumbrae in the near future.