Wigan leisure chiefs learned this week that their application for a major makeover of Ashton Leisure Centre has been successful, but the £600,000 they have been given has to be spent in the next 12 months.
To do that Ashton baths will have to be closed for FIVE months from October.
The only alternative for the Leisure and Culture Trust was to turn down the cash.
Improvements at the centre will include full refurbishment of the entrance area, modernisation of the changing rooms, full refurbishment of the small and large pool including ceiling, lighting, decoration, wall tiling and floor tiling.
The trust had also put in bids to improve pools at Hindley, Howe Bridge and Tyldesley, but only Ashton was successful.If they had been, that would only have left the new Leigh Sports Village pool for the whole borough.
The Ashton closure means that those living in the north and west of the borough face long trips to get free swimming, Hindley being the nearest pool for most.But leisure bosses say the centre is in need of major refurbishment to ensure its long term future and work has been scheduled for the winter months to minimise disruption.
Ashton Leisure Centre was awarded the money as part of the national Free Swimming Initiative. Wigan borough was eligible for a slice of £50m grant money because it already offers free swimming to under-16s and over 60s.
Part of Ashton Leisure Centre will close temporarily in mid-October for up to 20 weeks although the Profiles Health and Fitness Suite and Sports Hall will remain open.
The trust, which manages the borough's leisure centres on behalf of Wigan Council, today apologised for the inconvenience.
1 comment:
Nigel
Congratulations on getting this money in. It'll be inconvenient in the short term, but all the better in the long run.
Meanwhile, over the border in West Lancs, the Tory administration here decided not to take up the government grants for free swimming for under 16s, and therefore was not eligible for the capital programme. Skelmersdale pool remains needing a new roof and a total refurbishment.
You put them to shame.
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