New leisure centre proves a splash hit
Released: 29 August 2007
Wolverhampton’s newest fitness centre is in prime health – with visitor numbers exceeding all expectations.
The £12m Wolverhampton Swimming and Fitness Centre opened its doors for the first time in December, and has already proved a splash hit with people eager to get in shape.
Managers set a target of 400,000 visitors in the first year, but with between 45,000 and 50,000 people already using the facilities every month, that figure will be smashed.
Chris Huddart, Wolverhampton City Council’s head of community services, said: “We are delighted with the public’s response to this new, state-of-the-art facility.
“The centre was built with the aim of providing a fantastic range of sports and activities for all sections of the community within Wolverhampton. The number of people using the facility and the feedback we have received confirms it is doing just that.”
Wolverhampton Swimming and Fitness Centre replaces the outdated Heath Town Leisure Centre and Bushbury Pool, and already has nearly as many users per month as its predecessors had in an entire year.
The Bentley Bridge centre was developed through a private finance initiative involving the city council, Barclays Bank and consortium leaders DC Leisure Management Ltd, which operates the centre on behalf of the council.
It boasts a six lane, 25m pool, a leisure pool with flume and wave machine and a separate teaching pool and one of the best equipped health and fitness suites in the West Midlands, including a 140-station gym with cardio-vascular equipment, group training studio, café and play area.
DC Leisure worked with the city council to draw up a programme aimed at encouraging more women, young people, ethnic minorities, older people and disabled people to use the facilities. And their efforts have paid off; women now make up nearly a third of users, while young people total approximately 40 per cent. The number of people over 50 is increasing steadily, too.
That upward trend mirrors overall usage. The gym now has around 3,700 members with well over 30,000 people visiting every month on a ‘pay as you go’ basis. Membership figures have topped those previously achieved at other DC Leisure sites around the country.
A swimming academy has 670 members, while Heath Town Swimming Club, which met at the former Heath Town Leisure Centre, has successfully moved into its new home, and with membership rising will soon compete in competitive galas once more.
The health and fitness suite has been given Inclusive Fitness Initiative accreditation as part of a Sport England project which encourages gyms to cater for the needs of disabled and non-disabled people alike.
Mr Huddart added: “The health and fitness facilities are second to none - DC Leisure Management has provided easy access specialist equipment and implemented staff training to ensure fitness is accessible to all.
“The centre also offers a wide range of water facilities including a main pool, studio pool with moveable floor depth, wave pool, river run, waterslides, bubble pool, parent and baby pool and sauna and steam rooms, while the soft play area – Playzone - provides fun and adventure for younger visitors.”
• For more information on the centre, call 01902 384777 or log on to www.wolverhamptonswimmingandfitnesscentre.co.uk
Issued by the press office.