Olympic swimmer opens leisure centre
FORMER Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies MBE officially opened Hinckley’s new £15 million leisure centre on Thursday.
The Olympic silver medallist and double Commonwealth champion cut the ribbon to the new complex and unveiled a commemorative plaque alongside the Mayor of Hinckley and Bosworth, Councillor Richard Allen.
Delegates gathered to listen to speeches before being given a tour of the flagship facility in Argents Mead.
Ms Davies said: “It is an absolute pleasure to be here. I have been opening leisure centres now for around 30 years and this is one of the best I have ever been to.
“The facilities are just amazing and the swimming pool is brilliant.
“It’s vital to encourage children to get involved in sports at an early age and it’s great to see a new leisure opening in the centre of town where everybody can access it easily.”
The team GB swimmer presented children from St Mary’s Primary School with gifts and allowed the youngsters to rub her Olympic medal for good luck.
The pupils buried a time capsule in 2014 to mark the start of construction work and were the first to swim in the new pool.
The 6,500sq ft complex, which is being run by Places for People (PFP) on behalf of the borough council, opened to the public on May 3. from 1,500 to 2,000, compared of the council, thanked PFP,
Sandra Dodd, PFP chief to the old Coventry Road site. architects Robert Limbrick, executive, said the opening The Mayor, Cllr Allen said: construction firm Pelikaan and weekend saw more than 10,000 “The new leisure centre is council staff for doing a “superb” customers visit thejob.newsite.fantastic,Iwouldsayitisoneof
She said the number of the best in the country and it is He added: “It’s absolutely swimming memberships has exactly what Hinckley needed to amazing to have this facility on increased from 1,200 to more ensure it continues to grow and our doorsteps, I’m saying that as than 1,600 and the number of prosper.” the council leader and a junior memberships has jumped Councillor Mike Hall, leader customer.”
The complex includes an eight court sports hall, an enhanced gym, a cafe and soft adventure play area, an eight-lane 25 metre swimming pool, a community learner pool - both of which have moveable floors - and a sauna and steam room. The dry sports facilities also include studios and a group cycling