The first phase of the £8 million redevelopment of Bath Sports and Leisure Centre has been completed, after work started to transform the building into a modern and dynamic centre last July.
£1.5million of funding was secured from the National Lottery, administered by Sport England.
Bath & North East Somerset Council has been working in partnership with charitable social enterprise GLL, which operates the Council’s leisure centres under the Better brand, to refurbish the centre with the aim of motivating more people to get active more often.
The first phase of the redevelopment, which is now complete, involved developing two new, purpose-built, fitness studios, a new state-of-the-art gym and a refurbished sports hall.
Councillor Martin Veal (Conservative, Bathavon North), Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Cabinet member for Community Services, said: “The Bath Sports and Leisure Centre was in desperate need of updating. This project has been on the agenda for some time and so it’s good to see that progress is being made and that the residents of Bath and North East Somerset now have access to first class sports and leisure facilities.
“We are delivering on our commitment to invest in modern leisure facilities. We still have more work to do as we improve changing facilities, introduced a new teaching and leisure pool, trampoline park and ten pin bowling alley, but we hope this development will encourage more people to access the leisure centre and motivate them to adopt a fit and healthy lifestyle.”
Bath & North East Somerset Council has been working closely with Sport England to ensure the project suits their national aims of providing accessible leisure facilities that encourage people to live active lives.
The approved scheme forms part of the Council’s £17 million investment in improving leisure facilities across the district.
The first phase of works also included reinforcements to the structure of the building in the car park, a new mezzanine floor over half of the sports hall to accommodate a brand new health and fitness centre, a refurbished four court sports hall and the start of the 10 pin bowling alley provision.
The extensive programme of repairs, upgrades and new additions at Bath Sports and Leisure Centre include:
A new teaching and leisure pool;- Transformation of the beach area of the fun pool into an interactive water-play area for children of all ages and abilities;
- New and improved changing spaces;
- An enhanced fitness suite;
- New double-storey soft play attraction;
- New studio space and party rooms;
- A trampoline park – wall-to-wall trampolines that are all connected together and have sides made up of angled trampolines to create one huge park where you can literally bounce off the walls;
- 8-lane ten-pin bowling;
- A remodelled reception space to create a more open-plan feel with better views of the pool.
Barnaby Rich, Bath Sports & Leisure Centre General Manager said: “Better is delighted to announce that the first phase of the £8 million refurbishment at Bath Sports & Leisure Centre in partnership with Bath & North East Somerset Council is now complete.
“The first phase introduced two brand new, purpose built fitness studios alongside the new state-of-the-art gym and a refurbishment of the sports hall. The work significantly upgrades some tired facilities and helps us transform public leisure to the high standard the community in Bath and the surrounding area deserve.
“But this is just the start. The next phase includes the first trampoline park for Bath and North East Somerset, an indoor adventure soft play facility and a 10 pin bowling complex – all delivered in time for families to enjoy this coming summer.
“Everyone at Better looks forward to welcoming you to our new facilities over the coming months – including at our FREE Inspire Day on 11th March.”
All the work on Bath Sports and Leisure Centre is being carried out in phases so that it can remain open.
After briefly closing for one day to transfer equipment, the new gym reopened on Friday, 3rd March, with a slight reduction in equipment available.
The investment in leisure centres in Bath, Keynsham and Culverhay will help support delivery of the Council’s ambitious Fit for Life strategy, which is designed to improve the health and wellbeing of everyone in the area, now and into the future.
Its aim is to motivate more people to get more active more often – especially families, young people, older people and those who are overweight – and find ways to make physical activity more central to people’s lives.
The strategy also puts the spotlight on the contribution that sport and physical activity can make to Bath and North East Somerset’s economy, how they can help boost local communities by bringing people together and reducing social isolation, and the role they play in creating a sustainable environment.