Yahoo News Fears over future of Greater Manchester leisure centre where Olympic medal winners have been produced
The future of a Stockport leisure centre could be at 'serious risk', a councillor has warned, after it was found to be in need of a multi-million pound refurbishment. Life Leisure Grand Central, in the town centre, needs a 'substantial eight-figure investment' to improve its 'aging infrastructure', according to a report.
Stockport Metro swimming club is based at Grand Central, which has a 50m pool and has produced Olympic medal winners including Steve Parry, who won bronze at the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004. The future of the site was plunged into doubt on Monday when Life Leisure's annual report revealed the scale of the problems at the 31-year-old centre.
Labour councillors have now called for urgent clarity over its future. David Meller, leader of Stockport Labour Group, said: "This bombshell over Grand Central has really taken us by surprise and we're now incredibly concerned about its future.
"Ultimately, where is this significant eight-figure investment going to come from? And if it doesn't come, are we looking at the end of Grand Central? My real worry is the future of the swimming baths, which has produced Olympic medallists and been enjoyed by countless people for decades, is now at serious risk.
"This all needs clarification - and quickly." Coun Christine Carrigan added: "It is a hugely important asset to Stockport leisure service, not least because it is the only swimming offer to the north or the borough servicing Reddish and the Heatons along with my own ward in the town centre."
Life Leisure is the council-owned company that operates Grand Central and other leisure centres around Stockport. A report shared at the town hall on Monday stated that Grand Central is in need of 'substantial investment for upkeep and maintenance.'
It added that Life Leisure has spent more than £1m on facility improvements over the last year, which helped to 'replace plant equipment at Hazel Grove and completed substantial gym refurbishments at Hazel Grove and Romiley, with two other sites scheduled for 2024.'
Navendu Mishra, a Labour politician seeking re-election as Stockport's MP, has written to Lib Dem council leader Mark Hunter asking for clarity over the issue. Mr Mishra wrote: "It has been crucial to the development of Olympic medallists like Graeme Smith, Steve Parry, Kerri-Anne Payne and Cassandra Patten, as well as many other Olympians and leading athletes.
"To deprive it of the necessary funding it needs would be a disservice to our town’s athletic heritage and a threat to its sporting future." The Local Democracy Reporting Service asked Stockport council and how much money would be needed for the work, and where this will come from.
Mark Roberts, a Stockport Lib Dem councillor and deputy leader at the town hall, called on the next government to provide funding for leisure facilities across the borough.
He said: "The fact that Stockport Labour are acting surprised that our 30-year-old facility needs investment is deeply concerning, either they were asleep at the wheel when they ran the council two years ago or their 'shock' is entirely performative.
"While we thank Labour for their sudden interest during the election campaign, the Liberal Democrats will not apologise for our work to win a new hub in Marple, the wider considerable investment at Hazel Grove, Romiley and Grand Central and across the leisure estate.
"We value the brilliant work Life Leisure and its staff do within our communities to improve health and fitness outcomes of our residents, which is why we want to provide them with the facilities to match. We hope Stockport Labour will join with us in calls to a new government in July to properly fund the facilities our residents want and need at Grand Central and across the borough."
A Stockport council spokesperson added: "Life Leisure and Stockport council continues to invest in its leisure facilities, including recent investments in Hazel Grove, Romiley and a new Community Hub in Marple. Like all facilities of a similar age, the replacement of major plant and fabric at Grand Central are understandably needed, and collectively we’ll continue to work to establish proposals for the future."
