An outdoor obstacle course has been confirmed as part of a £350,000 flagship festival to help boost Inverclyde’s events and leisure sector.
The Inverclyde Warrior 5k is being organised by Inverclyde Leisure and will take place at Greenock’s Battery Park on 11 June 2022, with ICF named as chosen charity for the event.
It is one of three main attractions as part of the Inverclyde Council’s Meliora Festival in 2022, which is being funded from a £350,000 events budget from the local authority’s £4 million Covid-19 recovery plans.
The Inverclyde Warrior 5k will be a five-kilometre obstacle course featuring flying monkey bars, ninja walls, balance boards, walking beams, crawl and cargo nets, climbing frames and other challenges.
Entry is now open for the main event on 11 June 2022, featuring individual and team events, with a discounted ‘early bird’ offer until 4 February 2022.
There will also be a free event for Inverclyde secondary schools on 10 June 2022.
David McCorkindale, from Inverclyde Leisure, said: “We are delighted to be involved in the Meliora Festival.
“The Inverclyde Warrior event will be a fantastic opportunity that will hopefully encourage everyone in Inverclyde and out with to get involved as an individual, group or family experience.”
ICF Chair, Eleanor Robertson said: "It is wonderful news that Inverclyde Community Fund is the chosen charity for the event as we are delighted to see the ambitious Inverclyde Warrior coming to Greenock.
"All dontations from the event will go back into local community and voluntary groups, ensuring a lasting legacy of the event and a wider impact than just those participating.
"On behalf of all of the Trustees, we'd like to thank Inverclyde Council and Inverclyde Leisure for this opportunity and wish everyone a successful event."
The other two Meliora events will be the British Pipe Band Championships in May and a visual arts performance in partnership with the Beacon Arts Centre, which is also scheduled to take place in June.
Community groups will also be able to bid for funding to host an event with more details about this to follow in the new year.
Councillor Jim Clocherty, depute leader of Inverclyde Council and convener of education and communities, said: “Meliora is shaping up to be a brilliant festival for residents and visitors alike promoting physical activity and the arts through live theatre and music.
“Inverclyde Warrior 5k will be a fantastic event for people of all ages, including our high school pupils, to test themselves on what will be a challenging but enjoyable obstacle course at picturesque Battery Park.
“So many sectors have been and continue to be affected by the pandemic so it’s important that we, as a council, do what we can to support as many of those as possible to recover from the effects of Covid-19 and that’s the aim of the £4m recovery funding.”
The name of the festival, Meliora, is inspired by the motto on Inverclyde’s crest – ‘Meliora semper prospicimus’ meaning ‘We look forward to better things’.
Councillor Ronnie Ahlfeld, Inverclyde’s sports champion, said: “Meliora will be a real feast of sport and the arts and Inverclyde Warrior 5k I’m sure will tough but also great fun for those taking part and a test for the many fitness enthusiasts out there near and far.
“Getting more physically active and trying different things are usually on people’s minds at this time of year as attentions begin to turn to new year’s resolutions so this might just be the event for anyone out there who is looking for a new challenge.
“I’m sure it will also be a fantastic spectator event at Battery Park right next to the River Clyde.”
For more information about Inverclyde Warrior 5k and to sign up, click here.