Workington Leisure Centre
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Summary
A central sports facility to be proud of
Allerdale Borough Council commissioned a new leisure centre for Workington in Cumbria, to replace two existing facilities. We were appointed to build a high-specification facility that people would be proud of.
Centralising facilities for all
Two ageing buildings, which housed a swimming pool and sports centre, had reached the end of their life. They were situated in the Moorclose area, away from the town centre, and Allerdale BC wanted to bring sport and leisure facilities closer to the busy centre of the town, so it would benefits from improved transport links and act as a catalyst for regeneration in the area.
One of the key aims was to increase the profile of the facilities on offer and to make it easier for people to combine sport and leisure with daily activities like work and shopping.
The council also wanted a high-specification facility that local people would be proud of. With this in mind, the design was influenced by private health clubs in London, to give a great customer experience. Allerdale also wanted to promote an active lifestyle within the area.
The new centre features a 25-metre, competition-standard main swimming pool and a smaller teaching pool with a moving floor that can be adjusted to suit different ages and abilities. The main pool has eight lanes, and with associated spectator seating, it is suitable for hosting swimming galas and events that would previously have been held further afield in Preston or Manchester.
Other facilities include a sauna and a steam room, a 90-station gym, fitness studios, sports hall and three artificial sports pitches for five-a-side football.
The leisure centre was opened in September 2016 with GLL, who operate it on behalf of Allerdale Borough Council under the Better brand, offering taster sessions to the community.
