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New leisure complex opens in Darwen
Stevenage Leisure nets
£12.7m development located on the site of the Lancashire town's former centre
management deals
Management company By Pete Hayman
Stevenage Leisure (SLL) has
secured a deal with North A new £12.7m leisure complex
Hertfordshire District Council in Darwen, Lancashire, has
(NHDC) to operate the Hitchin opened its doors to the public.
Swimming Centre and the The new three-storey centre
Royston Leisure Centre in incorporates a 25m, eight-lane
Hertfordshire. SLL will take over swimming pool with a Sport
the management of the two sites England-funded moveable floor,
in April 2010. The company a small pool, an 80-station
already works in partnership gym, a fitness studio and a
with NHDC, having managed the multi-use sports hall.
North Herts Leisure Centre, More than £250,000 has
Letchworth Outdoor Pool and been invested in the centre's The new Darwen leisure centre boasts an 80-station fitness suite
Fearnhill Sports Centre – all 376sq m (4,047sq ft) gym,
owned by NHDC – since 2005. which has been equipped by acoustics to ensure swimming on schedule and within budget
Startrac, and a new health suite, coaches do not have to shout. and is one of the best sports
Revamp for Blackpool
including a sauna, a steamroom Facilities at the centre, which and leisure centres in the area.
Sports Centre gym
and a massage, aromatherapy has been built on the site of the I am confident it will be very
Blackpool Council has invested and treatment area. town's former leisure centre, well used by people from the
£200,000 in the refurbishment of The main swimming pool has also include changing areas, borough and beyond."
the health and fitness facilities been designed to competition activity rooms available for a The council has worked in
at the Blackpool Sports Centre. standard and is equipped with range of courses and a café. partnership with London-based
The eight-month revamp has electronic timing equipment, a Blackburn with Darwen Capita Symonds, which has
more than doubled the size of video and results scoreboard Borough Council's (BDBC) provided design and project
the health club area – from and spectator seating for 250 executive member for leisure management services. Archi-
136sq m(1,500sq ft) to 300sq m people. The pool area also and culture, Michael Law-Rid- tects Saunders Boston were
(3,200sq ft) – and has included feature materials that will aid ing, said: "It's been completed also involved with the scheme.
the upgrading of the gym
equipment. Supplier Life Fitness
Batley centre's
was appointed to refit the gym,
and the company created zones
gym reopens
Joint bid to combat child obesity
catering for the rehabilitation of The last phase of a £4.6m By Pete Hayman
groups suffering from respiratory redevelopment at Batley
and cardiac complaints as well as Sports and Tennis Centre A report compiled by London
those with limited mobility. in West Yorkshire has Metropolitan University and
been completed. City University of New York has
Youth gym opens
The former gym has found that the two cities face
in Wellington
been remodelled and similar issues when it comes to
Leisure trust Tone Leisure has re-fitted with equipment tackling child obesity levels.
launched a health club for supplied by Technogym. According to A Tale of Two
children in Wellington, Somerset. The 40-station suite is ObesCities, both London and The study found London and
The £200,000 Z3 Fitness Zone at part of a larger revamp of its US counterpart feature New York share similar issues
Wellington Sports Centre has the facility, including the mobile populations, child
been partly funded by The Big upgrading of the centre's poverty and overcrowding that age in New York are considered
Lottery Fund's Young People's swimming pool and six contribute towards the number to be obese.
Fund Programme and is designed badminton courts. of young people that are Recommendations outlined
for children aged between 10 Funding was provided overweight or obese. by the new report include the
and 16 years old. Equipment, by a £1.75m government Nearly a quarter of children promotion of physical activities,
supplied by ZigZag, includes grant, a £2.75m contribu- aged four years old in London such as walking and cycling, as
Xer-Dance Mats and a Sportwall, tion from Kirklees Council were found to be obese, which well as the incorporation of
which tests reflexes and offers a and £140,000 from increases to 36.3 per cent by active design elements into
cardiovascular workout, as well Kirklees Active Leisure. the age of 11. Meanwhile, 40 housing developments and
as Nintendo Wii games. per cent of children of a similar building projects.
4 Read Leisure Opportunities online www.leisureopportunities.com/digital © Cybertrek 2010
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