Latest News

For news upates on the refurbishment and re-investment click on the links below
 
 
 
Local people have the chance to have their say on the planned refurbishment of Cossington Street Sports Centre.
 
Consultation meetings take place at the centre on Thursday 22nd March (6-8pm) and Saturday 24th March (11am-2pm). The council would like to have the views of the community about what the efurbishment could include.
 
The council has £240,000 to spend on improvements to the changing and shower facilities, and improving access for disabled users. The pool will be closed in the autumn during the work.
 
Cllr John Mugglestone, Cabinet lead for regeneration and culture said: "We want to hear from local people, so that they have a say on the work. I would encourage as many people as possible to take part in the consultation".
 
Jos Johnson, manager of Cossington Street Sports Centre said: "This year Cossington Street Pool will, I believe, join the 20th century. We have a two-phase programme of work which reflects 110 years of
swimming here and improves the facilities for our customers".
 
For more information telephone 0116 233 3060 or email comments to cossingtonfm@leicester.gov.uk
 
 
Community Champion, Chris Pollock and students from City of Leicester College will officially open Evington Leisure Centre on Monday 22nd January.
Students will take part in activities including badminton, basketball  and trampolining for an hour from 9.50am, before Mr Pollock unveils the commemorative plaque at 11am. The ceremony will be attended by
Cllr John Mugglestone, Cabinet lead for regeneration and culture, and staff from City of Leicester College.
Evington Leisure Centre has been refurbished in a joint venture between the sports services department of the city council and the City of Leicester College. The project was funded by £1.3m from the Big Lottery Fund, with £100k from the college and an additional £200k from the city council.
Cllr John Mugglestone, Cabinet lead for regeneration and culture said: "This is a major milestone in the development of leisure provision for the community in Evington and the city. The new facilities give
enormous sporting opportunities for students of the college, and expand the facilities available in the area. It is a great example of good partnership working".
As well as a refurbished swimming pool and changing area, the new facilities include a new four-court multi-use sports hall and fully equipped fitness studio in a purpose-built extension.
Anne Gregory, acting principal of City of Leicester College said: "This is an excellent facility. It will make a tremendous difference to the quality of resources available for teaching and learning in PE. We are all very excited".
Mr Pollock was nominated by the local community to perform the official opening ceremony. He is a teacher at nearby Crown Hills Community College, and has brought children for swimming lessons in
Evington since the original pool opened in 1975.
City of Leicester College has exclusive use of the sports hall up to 6pm on term-time weekdays. The community will be able to use the hall at other times, in addition to the gym and the swimming pool.
The centre also benefits from the newly appointed sports development officer, who is helping to develop opportunities in sports for all Big Lottery funded school and colleges and links with local communities in
the city.
For full details of facilities, opening times and inductions at Evington Leisure Centre, telephone 0116 299 5575.
EVINGTON Leisure Centre will be celebrating its first week of opening since the completion of a major £1.6million development, with a family fun day. The fun day will take place on Sunday December 10th between 9am and 5pm.
The centre on Evington Lane now features a new four-court, multi-use sports hall and fully equipped fitness studio in a purpose-built extension.
The sports hall is a joint venture between the city council and the City of Leicester College, which submitted the successful bid for £1.3 million of Big Lottery Fund (BLF) money for the new development. The college also contributed £100,000 for the build with Leicester City Council providing an additional £200,000.
The college will have exclusive use of the sports hall up to 6pm during term time. It will be available for community use at all other times.
Cllr John Mugglestone, city council cabinet lead for leisure, said "  This is a major development for Evington and the city. The new leisure facilities present enormous sporting opportunities for students at  City Of Leicester College as well as expanding on the activities available in the area.
"The college and the council have worked together towards a tremendous outcome. Following on closely from the new athletics track and our refurbished gyms, this builds on our success of offering new and
improved leisure facilities across the city."
Anne Gregory, principal at the City of Leicester College, added: "This is an excellent facility which staff and students have long waited for. It will make a tremendous difference to the quality of resources
available for teaching and learning in PE. We are all very excited."
The fun day will include badminton and basketball sessions for people of all ages and abilities in the sports hall. And the city council’s ‘sport on the road’ coaching team will be around to provide multi
-sport sessions for young people throughout the day.
Chris Kilby, centre manager, said " We hope the Evington community will take time out to come and enjoy our opening celebrations and see for themselves the much improved facilities and activities we have on offer."
The centre will continue to offer a full timetable of sessions in the 25m main pool and trainer pool, and a range of fitness classes from Pilates to step aerobics.
The new fitness suite includes 45 stations with a range of the latest cardiovascular and resistance equipment for all levels. Personal training staff are also available to devise programmes and monitor
progress. The new development also includes new changing areas and a refurbishment of the existing poolside changing rooms.
For further details and an update on the opening day programme contact centre reception on (0116) 299 5575.
A SPORTS centre in Leicester will officially open its doors to the public on Monday.
Saffron Lane Sports Stadium underwent a £1.4 million refurbishment during the summer to install upgraded facilities.
The refitted centre was launched by former Olympic triple jump champion Jonathan Edwards in July, as part of his nationwide tour promoting the 2012 Olympic games.
Now it is due to officially open to the public after the completion of the extensive upgrade work, at 5pm on Monday, September 18. New facilities in the centre include a £400,000 synthetic track surface, top-flight field sports equipment and new changing facilities.
Leicester City Council cabinet member for environment, transport and culture, Cllr John Mugglestone, said: "This is the start of a new,  chapter and the council is dedicated to helping make this new centre a success. We hope it proves to be a popular facility."
Adult tickets for the centre are £2.75, with junior and student tickets costing £2.
Former Olympic triple jump champion, Jonathan Edwards will re-open Saffron Lane Sports Centre on 11th July following a £1.4million refurbishment.
 
Upgraded facilities include a £400,000 synthetic track surface, state-of-the-art field sports equipment and new changing facilities.
 
As well as opening the sports centre, Jonathan Edwards - who is now
on the board of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games organising committee - will be promoting the London games with the Olympic Roadshow Bus.
 
Around 30 city primary and secondary schools will take part in a range of cultural dance displays and sports activities as part of the opening day celebrations.
 
Cllr John Mugglestone, Cabinet lead for regeneration and culture said: "The refurbished sports centre will ensure that all local athletes have access to excellent training facilities which will hopefully
inspire them to reach their personal goals in good time for the 2012 London Olympics".
 
The Olympic Roadshow Bus will travel 3,000 miles around the country sharing the plans for the games, and updating on progress for the event. It aims to remind local communities, businesses and other
agencies about the opportunities that the London Olympic Games will bring for the whole country.
Refurbishment work has been partly funded by a £160,000 grant from Sport England. The work took 11 months to complete.
 
Look here to see photographs from the official open day.
 
 
Leicester’s athletics track at Saffron Lane Sports Centre is on target to open this summer following a £1.4m refurbishment. 
 
Phase one of the work is nearly complete, with a new £400,000 synthetic track surface. There will also be new state-of-the-art field sports equipment for the centre. 
 
The upgrade is partly funded by a £160,000 grant from Sport England, through the Community Athletics Refurbishment Programme. This programme was developed to respond to the perilous condition of many outdoor synthetic tracks. 
 
The council is ensuring the refurbished facilities comply with UK Athletics and the International Association of Athletics Federation certification criteria. 
 
Cllr John Mugglestone, Cabinet link for regeneration and culture said: “On completion the new project will ensure that all local athletes have access to excellent training facilities which will hopefully inspire them to reaching their personal goals in good time for the 2012 London Olympics”. 
 
Stephen Baddeley of Sport England added: “We know this investment will make a real difference at community and grassroots level for athletics. Our target of encouraging more people to get involved in sport has to be underpinned by provision of facilities which are of a good standard and are safe to use”. 
 
Phase two of the work will include £1m purpose-built changing facilities, sited close to the track. Work will be completed in July 2006. 
 
Refurbished city pool on schedule to re-open from Monday, 10th April
 
Leicester City Council's Evington Pool, which has recently undergone a series of improvements to existing wet side facilities will re-open to the public from Monday, 10th April 2006.
 
Chris Kilby, Evington Pool Manager, said. 'Now the waiting is over, I would like to thank Evington Pool users for their patience. The new changing facilities will undoubtedly help us in our aim to continually improve the services on offer for all of our customers.'
 
The refurbishment programme has included a £120,000 upgrade of the centre’s pool changing areas with new cubicles, seating and a locker system to replace the old basket room, baby changing facilities, disabled friendly changing and new floor and wall tiles.
 
The facility overhaul continues with the ongoing development of a new sports hall at the site including four full-size badminton courts and a refurbished fitness studio. The city council is contributing £200,000 of the total £1.6 million project cost.
 
The centre is currently taking bookings for a new programme of childrens swimming lessons, which also re-commences from Monday, 10th.
For further details please contact the facility reception on telephone:(0116) 2995575.
 
Update on Evington Pool Improvements
 
Refurbishment work is continuing at Evington Pool, to update the facilities.  The pool will re-open w/c 10th April 2006.  For further information please telephone the centre on 0116 299 5575.
 
09/01/06 
The planned closure of Evington Pool to carry out improvements to existing wet side facilities will take place from Monday, 16th January 2006 - until Monday, 13th March 2006.
 
The refurbishment programme includes £120,000 upgrade of the centre’s pool changing areas with new cubicles, seating and a locker system to replace the old basket room, baby changing facilities, disabled friendly changing and new floor and wall tiles.
 
This will compliment the ongoing development of a new sports hall at the site including four full-size badminton courts and a refurbished fitness studio. The city council is contributing £200,000 of the total £1.6 million project cost.
 
For further details please contact the facility reception on telephone:(0116) 2995577.