Hundreds of young people made the most of
state-of-the-art sports facilities at the opening of a new leisure
centre in Bletchley, where they were joined by the BBC’s 2009
Sports Unsung Hero, Doreen Adcock.
The centre, which has benefited from almost £1 million of Sport
England National Lottery investment, is a welcoming and sustainable
sporting destination for the local community.
Built with access for disabled people in mind at every stage,
the centre is a blueprint for inclusive sport centres fit for the
21st Century and is working towards being accredited by the
Inclusive Fitness Initiative.
The impressive facilities include:
- 25 metre, eight lane swimming pool
- Multi-purpose sports hall
- Gymnastics hall
- 100 station fitness studio
- Aerobics room
- Spinning studio
- Four squash courts
- Seven rink indoor bowls hall
- Sauna and steam room.
As a sporting hub for the area, the centre isn’t simply relying
on local residents finding their own way to its doors. Sports
development staff will run coaching and taster sessions in local
schools and clubs to recruit new participants. Staff will also work
with the local primary care trust to increase referrals to the
centre.
"The new Bletchley Leisure Centre provides a huge range of high
quality sports facilities in the very heart of the local
community,” said Hannah Bladen, Sport England’s Regional Lead.
“We’re delighted to support the project and are confident that it
will become a beacon site for people wanting to make sport a
regular part of their daily lives."
As well as demonstrations of many of the sports on offer, those
who came to the opening were invited to take part in a coaching
session delivered by League One football team, MK Dons.
The new £21 million facility replaces the original Bletchley
Leisure Centre which was built in 1973 and needed upgrading. Milton
Keynes council made its replacement a strategic priority as part of
a wider regeneration programme for Bletchley, putting sport at the
heart of the community.
“This is a fantastic moment for all involved and the result of
two years of hard work,” said Vanessa McPake, Milton Keynes council
cabinet member responsible for sport and leisure. “We have a
facility to be truly proud of, which will benefit people from far
and wide for many years to come.”
Doreen Adcock is a swimming instructor from Milton Keynes who
has taught over 13,000 people to swim in the past 35 years. She was
named Unsung Hero in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year
2009.
You can find out more about Bletchley Leisure Centre, and the
new sporting opportunities on offer there, by
visiting its website.