Leisure Centre Refurbishment Plan is Good News for Customers
River Park Leisure Centre is one of the most important public facilities in the region and the City Council intends to keep it in first class condition for customers by carrying out a programme of refurbishment.
Capital investment next year will enable the replacement of some of the plant and equipment which is nearly worn out through heavy use. The Council will also be looking to upgrade aspects of the Centre which no longer meet customer expectations – including the changing rooms.
The swimming pool will have to close whilst this work is carried out, but large areas of the centre will not be affected and customers will be kept fully informed of the programme of works. Discussions with major users such as the swimming club will ensure the minimum possible disruption to their programming.
Portfolio Holder for Community Services Cllr Therese Evans said, "River Park is an extremely important sports and leisure facility for this area and has consistently performed extremely well on behalf of residents. We will be investing a substantial sum next year to ensure that it continues to provide a high standard of service.
"The City Council is taking a prudent approach to maintenance, replacing equipment before it fails, not leaving it until there is a major problem. This demonstrates our commitment to sport and leisure in the community and our support for the activities of major clubs," she added.
Director of Community Services Steve Tilbury said, "The maintenance works we are going to carry out are essential in keeping the centre in first class condition. At the same time we also want to ensure that there is an upgrade of areas which are not up to the standards our customers now expect. This will mean a period when the pool is closed but people will understand that there is no way to avoid this. They would be far more concerned if we neglected maintenance which then led to problems later on. All of the arrangements we are making will be fully explained to users in publicity over the next two to three months"