A run-down leisure centre in Wiltshire is set to receive a major makeover following years of complaints.
Smashed and broken facilities at a Lime Kiln Leisure Centre in Royal Wootton Bassett have been turning away local leisure centre users for several months, with many choosing to swim elsewhere.
“The lockers in the men’s changing rooms are all unusable, broken and don’t lock, and others have told me it’s been like that for years," said Luke Edwards, after he took his family swimming at the leisure for the first time.
“People pay membership at Lime Kiln to use the gym, so where the heck does the money go?
Wootton Bassett resident Liz Mckellar said: “I used to love swimming there regularly, but I stopped using that pool nearly 15 years ago because of the conditions."
Following complaints, Wiltshire Council has now announced new plans to refresh the Lime Kiln Leisure Centre, with work set to begin this month.
The renovation plans include a complete refurbishment of the swimming pool changing rooms as well as decoration works and new flooring in the main entrance corridor, downstairs studio and pool hall areas.
The work will be carried out in two phases, beginning with the outside porch, front entrance and downstairs studio.
While this first phase is underway, customers will need to use a temporary separate entrance and the studio and squash courts will be out of action. This is expected to last until early May 2024.
The pool changing room and poolside refurbishments are then scheduled to be completed between May and July 2024, and customers will need to arrive ready to swim and shower once they return home.
The swimming pool will be completely closed during the final two weeks of renovation in late June/early July.
“We have listened to local residents’ feedback and we are carrying out this programme of works to improve the overall experience of using the centre and give it a refresh," said Councillor Ian Blair-Pilling, Cabinet Member for Leisure.
"In order to encourage more participation we need to give people the opportunity to access facilities that are well maintained and that’s why we are keen to invest at leisure centres across the county.
“Whilst these works may cause some initial disruption to users, we hope that the finished result will be a much nicer environment for our members and visitors.”
The announcement comes after Wiltshire Council recently confirmed plans to improve Devizes Leisure Centre, Marlborough Leisure Centre and Warminster Sports Centre, as well as develop a new leisure centre for Trowbridge.
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