Edinburgh Leisure gets back in the swim and gym
by June Peebles, CEO of Edinburgh Leisure, which operates the city's swimming pools, fitness and leisure centres.
We’ve missed all our customers, coaches, volunteers and employees over the last five and a half months. We know that many of you have found ingenious ways to continue to keep active and moving during lockdown.
Public leisure services, many charities and businesses throughout the country are faced with significant financial challenges due to lost income and the prospect of operating at reduced capacity to comply with physical distancing measures, and it’s the same for Edinburgh Leisure.
However, the Edinburgh Leisure Team have never shied away from a challenge - we are committed to supporting and enabling the citizens of Edinburgh to live active and healthy lives.
Perhaps more than ever before there is recognition of the importance and value of good health and we’re continuing to work with the City of Edinburgh Council to deliver on our shared goals of an active and healthy city.
While the First Minister advised that the opening for indoors gyms and swimming pools and indoor sports courts had been brought forward to 31 August, we will not be opening the doors of our indoor venues until Monday, 14 September.
Edinburgh Leisure has such a diverse range of venues and bringing venues and services back to life in a new Covid-19 environment, after being closed since late March, is a big and complex task.
We’re delighted at the prospect of welcoming our customers back and all our efforts are focused on making our venues as safe as possible. The Edinburgh
Leisure experience will of course be different but customers will be guaranteed the same, warm welcome as before lockdown.
We want to reopen our venues and services as quickly as possible but this will happen on an incremental basis, following the coronavirus guidance produced by the Scottish Government and sportscotland. The reopening of venues and services will also require support from the Scottish Government.
The venues reopening on Monday, 14 September are:
Ainslie Park Leisure Centre Craiglockhart Leisure and Tennis Centre
Drumbrae Leisure Centre
The Royal Commonwealth Pool We will initially reopen our gyms, fitness classes, tennis and badminton courts and lane swimming in these centres.
The latest information on activities available and what to expect when you visit can be found on the Edinburgh Leisure website and social media channels. You can also find out more about how to stay active at home and information on the outdoor activities available including Edinburgh Leisure’s six golf courses and tennis courts.
www.edinburghleisure.co.uk