Middleton leisure centre improvements unveiled

 

Middleton Active openingA new-look leisure centre in south Leeds was officially unveiled on Monday following a £1m refurbishment funded by Leeds City Council, Sport England and the Football Foundation.

The improvements to the facility include improved changing facilities, outdoor playing pitches and the provision of a brand new 3G artificial pitch and multi-use games area. There have also been improvements to the centre’s reception area, activity room and new community room and a youth recreation space.

The playing pitches surrounding the centre have also been redesigned and reconfigured with the flagship facility being a full size, floodlit 3G pitch which was funded by the Football Foundation. The centre now boasts three senior pitches and two junior pitches as well as the 3G pitch.

Leeds City Council provided the majority of the funding for the refurbishment with a £740k investment in the centre. This was supported by a Sport England Inspired Facilities Fund of £146,684 – funding specifically allocated to help build on the country’s success in the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games – and £199,40 from the Football Foundation.

Middleton Leisure Centre becomes one of 350 local community sports groups to benefit from a £17.4m Inspired Facilities Fund. In doing so, the building and its branding carries the London 2012 Inspire mark, cementing the centre’s link to the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Councillor Kim Groves (Middleton Park) said:

“The new-look Middleton Leisure Centre and Middleton Active is a really great boost for sporting facilities in Middleton. The improvements will ensure that Middleton Active can not only now boast some best quality sport and leisure facilities in the city, but they also establish the centre as a local community hub thanks to the new meeting spaces and social care facilities.”

“Lots of people have worked very hard to ensure that this scheme went ahead and we are extremely grateful to Sport England and the Football Foundation for their contribution which will make a real difference to the facilities that we have here.”

“It is fantastic that Middleton Leisure Centre will feature the London 2012 Inspire branding. What better way to inspire people to get active then the brilliant success of our athletes at the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.”

One Reply to “Middleton leisure centre improvements unveiled”

  1. I think it’s a travesty that we lost a swimming pool to gain a re-designed football pitch. My children all learned to swim there and my oldest boy was learning to swim there when he was moved to John Charles centre, which is totally unsuited to teaching small children.
    It is too big, too loud and echoing, and far too cold!
    I paid well over a hundred pounds per term and it was all wasted when he had to move as his confidence took a big hit. He now refuses to swim as he felt totally lost in the huge pool.
    I appreciate that new sports facilities are important and welcome any efforts to encourage youths to be active, it’s just that I think swimming is such an important life-skill that it should be maintained at all costs.
    Let’s bring back swimming facilities to local centres and make them cheap and accessible.

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