New leisure centre for Grimsby
A new and improved leisure facility for Grimsby has been approved by North East Lincolnshire Council’s cabinet together with essential maintenance works to the town’s central library facility also receiving the go-ahead.
The news comes after a review into the area’s leisure and cultural facilities which showed a number of buildings in North East Lincolnshire were at the end of their useful life. The report recommended that in order to bring them up to today’s standards, essential investment was needed.
Following further reviews and the assessment of available options, work will start now into the development designs of a new leisure facility, which will be built in front of the current leisure centre building in Cromwell Road, and will feature a brand new eight-lane, 25-metre swimming pool and gym facilities.
Grimsby Central Library will receive essential maintenance and repairs to keep the facility open for the foreseeable future. This investment will enable the library to continue to provide high quality library and local history facilities in the town, with work starting in June 2012.
Councillor Mick Burnett, portfolio holder for health, well-being, tourism and leisure, and the council’s deputy leader, said: “The agreement to invest in our buildings will ensure that our leisure facilities are fit for purpose to meet the current and future needs and expectations of our residents.
“We have been prudent with our finances and due to careful spending and planning we are able to make this £9 million essential investment so that our area’s leisure services are brought into the 21st century.
“We care about our residents’ well-being and it’s vital that we provide the right facilities to enable people to lead an active and healthy life.
“The new swimming pool will mean that we will be able to host competitive events but importantly it will be for the whole community to benefit from and enjoy.”
The council’s cabinet agreed the development in December 2011 with the culture, leisure and tourism scrutiny panel also welcoming the recommendations this month.
The new leisure facility will replace the out-of-date swimming pools at Grimsby Leisure Centre and Scartho Swimming Pool. Unfortunately Scartho Swimming Pool will have to close when the new facility opens but won’t close until the new facility is fully operational. Before work can start on the new leisure centre, the detailed design work needs to be commissioned and planning consent sought.