SPORT Man City’s stadium plans revealed


New images have been released to show how Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium will look once the 6,000-seat stadium expan- sion is fully completed. City gained planning


permission in February to extend the stadium capac- ity, with engineering firm Laing O’Rourke oversee- ing the construction project. An integrated Laing


O’Rourke Group team is carrying out the expansion – work began at the start of April. Interesting aspects of the new pictures include versatile signage on the stadium facades and some interior shots. Te extension works, designed by architects


Te images show various shots of the Eithad’s new interiors


Populous, are expected to cost £50m and will be undertaken in two phases. Te work will result in the venue having a capacity of 60,000 (up from the current 48,000) - making it the


second largest in the English Premier League. Te first phase of construction, which will be completed in time for the 2015-16 season, will see the South Stand expanded by around 6,000 seats. The second and final phase, features development of the North Stand. Details: http://lei.sr?a=H8Y5B


Derelict Welsh lido gets £6.3m revival


Work has started on the £6.3m transfor- mation of a derelict lido in Pontypridd, Wales, which will be transformed into a state-of-the-art swimming facility. Te Grade-II listed lido was originally


built in 1927 and was forced to close in 1991 aſter it fell into a state of disrepair. Now, more than 20 years later, it will be reborn, attracting a forecasted tens of thousands of people every year. Te new outdoor facility would be


open around four to five months of the year and would include three heated pools, changing blocks and a new café. “Te refurbished lido will create a


Te new lido will hold a 25m main pool and an activity pool


regional tourist attraction bringing tens of thousands of visitors to Pontypridd,” said Rhondda Cynon Taf council leader Anthony Christopher. “It will also create jobs directly in the lido itself, and have economic benefits for local businesses.” Te complex was origi- nally the training pool for Jenny James, the first


woman to swim the English Channel in 1951. Te project is receiving £3m in Welsh gov-


ernment funding, £2.3m from the Heritage Lottery Fund, £900,000 from Rhondda Cynon Taf council, and £100,000 from Welsh heri- tage body Cadw. Work is due to be completed in summer 2015. Details: http://lei.sr?a=S5f2v


£4m Active Clubs grant scheme launched for Northern Ireland


Sport Northern Ireland has launched a new £4m funding programme aimed at increasing membership numbers at sports clubs. Clubs, organisations and governing bodies


will be able to apply for grants from the National Lottery-funded Active Clubs initiative, which


© CYBERTREK 2014


will run for the next four years (until 2018). Te scheme will provide support, development courses and capacity building to sports clubs and assist with developing new and innovative initiatives aimed at increasing membership numbers. Details: http://lei.sr?a=j7s9k


Twitter: @leisureopps Te new centre will replace two older facilities


£60m Queen’s Park project gains planning permission


Westminster Council has granted planning permission for Willmott Dixon to build a £60m mixed-use development, with £20m of the funds going towards new leisure facilities in west London’s Queen’s Park. Under the deal, the construction firm will


demolish two existing sites – Moberly and Jubilee sports centres – to make way for a new centre, expected to reduce annual oper- ating costs by around £600,000 a year. It will feature a 25m six-lane swimming


pool, a health and fitness suite, three exercise and dance studios, a boxing hall, eight-court sports hall and a café, as well as an additional smaller community sports facility. Richard Barker, Westminster Council’s


director of sport and leisure, said: “This decision means we can now build the new facilities which I hope will encourage more people in Queen’s Park to take up sporting activity, and help improve their health.” Construction will begin at Moberly sports


centre in Q3 of 2014, with work expected to be complete by 2016, before building then begins on the community facility. Details: http://lei.sr?a=H8Y5B


Read Leisure Opportunities online: www.leisureopportunities.co.uk/digital 3


Outdoor activity accounts for 10% of Welsh tourism


Outdoor activity tourism accounts for 10 per cent, or £481m, of Wales’ tourism economy, according to Welsh government figures. Outdoor activity tourism also supports


8,243 jobs, with the survey including out- door activity businesses as well as those which take part in Welsh outdoor sports such as climbing, watersports, airsports and rambling. Te findings suggested that 54 per cent of businesses surveyed thought awareness of outdoor activities in Wales has increased over the past three years, with new high profile activities such as Surf Snowdonia and new mountain bik- ing facilities getting large media exposure. Details: http://lei.sr?a=5V5G7


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