Sport England today awarded Aireborough Leisure Centre in Leeds £500,000 of National Lottery funding to help transform its facilities. The money will help the centre overhaul its changing rooms, upgrade its swimming pool area, and spruce up its reception area.
The new changing rooms will include a variety of options for customers and offer family areas and village style changing rooms. The swimming pool will also be retiled and the windows replaced. Parking is also set to be easier, with funds also in place to create new parking spaces.
The transformation comes as a result of a joint decision by the centre and Sport Leeds to boost swimming levels in Leeds. Aireborough is the first site to be developed as part of the emerging strategy which is currently being developed through a City Council and Sport England partnership aiming to conclude this summer.
The centre was one of 19 projects across England to receive funding from Sport England’s £6.5 million Improvement Fund. The latest round of funding placed a special emphasis on helping club’s improve swimming facilities. Nine of the nineteen successful projects have received cash to either improve pool changing rooms’ facilities or refurbish tired pools.
Sport England property director, Charles Johnston, said: “Thankfully as a nation we are becoming more active. Meeting this demand can be challenging, but thanks to National Lottery funding we can help Aireborough Leisure Centre improve their facilities so even more people can enjoy a really first rate experience of being active. Swimming is one of those sports that everyone can enjoy, whether you’re going length after length or a just having a quick splash about.”
Sport England’s Improvement Fund, has invested over £49 million to date in 150 community-based projects across the country. From upgrading artificial grass pitches and swimming pool facilities to helping sports clubs become more environmentally sustainable, this funding has played a crucial role in improving the standards of community sport and incentivising more people to become active.