A PETITION which questions whether Glasgow Warriors rugby club should be allowed to use Scotstoun Stadium has attracted almost 1000 signatures since being launched on Friday evening.
It will eventually be sent to the leader of Glasgow City Council, Frank McAveety.
John Coyle, a financial manager, says he was motivated to start the petition by an article which appeared in the Herald ten days ago. It outlined the concerns of Victoria Park Glasgow athletics club that they are being squeezed out of the stadium which has been their base for over 85 years.
The wider Scottish athletics community has also expressed dismay at the increasing perception that Scotstoun primarily exists to serve the Warriors. The professional rugby club, which is fully owned by the SRU, moved their home games from Firhill to the council-owned stadium in 2012.
The Warriors' recent successes, including winning the Pro12 title last season, have delivered bigger crowds - but the necessity for temporary stands has caused problems for the athletics club, while local residents have complained about disturbance issues on match evenings.
Advanced discussions about installing an artificial surface at Scotstoun to accommodate the Warriors has led to the athletics club making their concerns public.
Mr Coyle, who is a member of Cambuslang Harriers, says he was motivated to start the petition because his children are members of VPG. "You see what is going on at Scotstoun and it really does rankle," he said.
"I'm not a member of Victoria Park, so I shouldn't really care less, but my three daughters run for the club. It's open to anyone and everyone from all backgrounds, rich and poor, with the kids coming from all over Glasgow.
"It's a brilliant club, very friendly, and the council aren't helping.
"The track is often closed at the bends when there are matches on because of the advertising hoardings. Quite often the track only has two straights available, which is not much use when you're trying to do laps."
More seriously, Mr Coyle says the movement of the temporary stands across the track, as well as heavy vehicles transporting equipment, is causing damage.
"The track was only re-opened in 2010 but it's getting torn up," he claimed. "Lanes one and two are in pieces."
Mr Coyle, a Partick Thistle fan, says he admires what the Warriors have achieved but feels their needs are incompatible with those of the athletics club and the many community users of the stadium.
"The current set up is not working - probably not working for either the rugby club or the athletics club," he said.
"The SRU must have made an awful lot of money from the Rugby World Cup. They could put some of that towards a stadium of their own - it's not as if Glasgow is short of derelict land.
"There is no parking provision for games at Scotstoun. There was never any thought given for these sort of crowds being there every two weeks, nine months of the year.
"There is a general feeling that athletics is a poor cousin when it comes to sports provision in Scotland. Glasgow doesn't have a proper, full time, athletics stadium."
Mr Coyle admits he doesn't know if his petition, on the 38 Degrees website, will have any effect.
"I just wanted to put it out there and see how it went." he said. "To be honest I'm not one of these professional protesters - I'm not particularly adept at this.
"I will be forwarding all the commentary and results to Frank McAveety."
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