Islington Council invests £1.4 million in leisure centre refurbishment

Sobell Leisure Centre is set to receive a massive upgrade in a bid by Islington Council to continue with its commitment of providing residents with healthy activities at a low cost. The leisure centre will be getting a £1.4 million refurbishment in time for its 40th birthday.

A programme of refurbishment was first agreed upon in 2010 in a bid to extend the life of the centre. Initial improvements, throughout the first stage of the refurbishment, were focused upon the main hall. These improvements then meant that the centre was used as the official Olympic volleyball training venue throughout the summer of 2012.

The extra £1.4 million investment in the centre will see further improvements to the centre itself as well as the installation of two new football pitches. The pitches will have the latest high-tech artificial surface and will be fully floodlit. They are set to be under construction throughout the next few months, with completion due in August.

Damien Swan, Sobell Leisure Centre manager, said: "Providing external space for our popular football bookings will free up the sports hall for other activities such as volleyball, basketball, netball and gymnastics and will increase the amount of people that can access these great facilities. There will also be improved lighting outside the centre."

The internal work will follow on from the completion of the football pitches and will run from August up until December. The internal refurbishments will include: a new boxing gym, improvements to the Junior Gym, increasing the size of the fitness gym, an upgrade to the training room, and the installation of retractable spectator seating; amongst others.

There will also be a full redesign of the current changing rooms so that separate areas are created for football, schools and health and fitness customers.

Councillor Janet Burgess, Islington Council's deputy leader and executive member for health and wellbeing, said: "Improving the health and wellbeing of our residents is a council priority. One of the ways we do this is providing great value leisure facilities for residents of all ages and abilities to enjoy. So I'm delighted that we are able to make this investment in the Sobell Centre to offer the type of sports and facilities local people welcome at an affordable price."

Posted by Andy Britten

Published 3rd June, 2013

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