Aquatics Centre comes to town!

6 October, 2010

Wates Construction have succesfully reached financial close on a new £26million Aquatics Centre in Luton.

Together with Luton Borough Council and Luton Learning and Community Partnership they will officially host the groundbreaking ceremony this Thursday (7 October 2010) at Stopsley Common, Butterfield Green Road, to celebrate the start of the building works.

The Aquatics Centre’s facilities will include:

 - 50m, eight lane pool with a world class diving facility and seating for 400 spectators

- 20m, five lane community pool with moveable floor

- large sports hall capable of hosting a wide range of sports

- 100 station, state of the art gym

- dance studio, spinning room and multipurpose activity room

- function room and café that’s also available to park users

- safe, secure parking.

The centre will meet exemplar standards of accessibility for disabled people and has also been designed with many environmental and sustainable features making it fit for 21st century leisure purposes.

Due to be open to the public by July 2012, the main objectives of the new facility are to increase participation, by all ages and abilities, in sport and activity, as well as improving the health and life expectancy of Luton people.

Cllr Hazel Simmons, Leader of the Council said: "We are committed to investing in the Luton Aquatics Centre that will provide superb swimming and diving facilities and a modern sports centre to help the people of Luton to live healthier more active lives. It's taken many years for us to get to this stage and we have had to overcome many challenges but we are delighted that finally the town will get what it deserves. The centre will also give us the ability to support potential future sports champions."

Lord McKenzie of Luton said: “This is excellent news for Luton. This centre will help to regenerate the town and move Luton into a different league of leisure and sporting facilities. I hope it will attract elite athletes to train here and to encourage sporting competitions to take place in the town.” 

Pip Hesketh, General Manager of Luton Learning and Community Partnership said: “We are delighted to begin such an exciting, innovative and important project with our partners at Luton Borough Council and Wates Construction. This is the most recent of a number of projects being delivered in partnership with the Council designed to dramatically improve the quality of life for Luton communities.

“We believe the state of the art facilities will encourage an increase in participation in sports and leisure activities and become a beacon project for the borough attracting visitors from right across the country.”

Cutting of the sod will be performed by Rebecca Gilbertson, President, Bedfordshire Amateur Swimming Association, Lauren Hobbins, British Disability Swimmer together with Cllr Hazel Simmons, Lord McKenzie and Pip Hesketh.

Luton Borough Council is committed to developing the Aquatics Centre to increase people’s participation in physical education, sport and other active recreation, to help meet health improvement targets, such as tackling childhood obesity.

To download a pdf of this press release click here

Categories: new build, northern home counties

Tags: Aquatics, Luton, Swimming pool