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NEW OPENING


A BURNING AMBITION M


Lauren Applegarth pays a visit to Toxteth Fire Fit Hub, in Liverpool, to see how the new dual-use facility is getting firefighters fit for duty while encouraging young people in the area to get active


ention the area of Toxteth and for some, what may spring to mind are the infamous


riots of 1981. Fast-forward to 2013 and this inner city area of Liverpool, like many other urban areas, is struggling against the economic downturn, with above average levels of unemployment and social unrest. In the face of these challenges, in


October 2011, permission was granted for what would become the Toxteth Fire Fit Hub – a multi-million pound sports facility, built with the interests of the local youth community at its heart.


Community focus The Hub, which is also home to Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service’s new Toxteth Community Fire Station, was launched in spring 2013. Built in the centre of the district and on the site of the original Toxteth Sports Centre, the £5.2m project was secured through £2.3m funding from the Department of Education’s myplace


The Hub has a 340sq m gym, as well as a 170sq m functional training zone, for fi refi ghters and the local community alike


initiative, a further £2.8m from Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service, and £500,000 from Liverpool City Council. Liverpool-based architects Cass


Associates were commissioned to design the building, working alongside the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority to deliver the facility to its dual-purpose requirements: central to the Hub and a condition of the fi re service’s residence is the 340sq m gym, which offers premium quality exercise equipment for use both by the station’s fi refi ghters and by members of the community. In addition to the split-level gym,


the Hub offers a 1,200sq m sports hall, group fi tness studio, four outdoor fi ve-a-side pitches and a community fi re station – and it has grand aspirations for its role within the local community. “The focus of the site is to make a real


difference to the lives of young people in the immediate area and in Liverpool,” says Sara Lawton, project leader for the facility at Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service. “Our aim is to encourage healthier lifestyles by encouraging young people to engage in positive activities.”


66 Read Health Club Management online at healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital June 2013 © Cybertrek 2013


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