Mid Suffolk Leisure Centre opens the doors this weekend on its new £2.2m upgrade and extension, supporting residents’ health and wellbeing with upgraded gym, poolside features and changing rooms.
The work, funded by Mid Suffolk District Council, means gym-goers can enjoy a range of state-of-the-art fitness equipment on offer, plus further improvements made throughout the leisure centre.
These include:
· an extension to house a newly refurbished fitness suite, doubling the number of stations from 50 to 100
· refurbished showers and toilets in the fitness changing rooms
· updated poolside railings and glass barriers
· introduction of Poolview technology to support lifeguards
· essential repairs and decorating in the sports hall, café, dance studios, public areas and swimming pool shower and toilets
· new internal and external signage
This £2.2m investment by the council is part of their plans to upgrade leisure provision in the district, and is key for their wider Vision for Stowmarket. Other town centre investments also aim to improve and increase a wide range of leisure provision for the community – such as the new Regal Theatre that reopened last month – to attract more visitors to enjoy the town’s shopping and attractions.
The funds also included a £200k council investment to refresh facilities at Stradbroke Swimming Pool and Fitness Centre which were completed last year.
Cllr Julie Flatman, cabinet member for communities at Mid Suffolk District Council, said:
“It’s very exciting that our new gym and facilities at Mid Suffolk Leisure Centre are now complete. I really hope customers enjoy the new equipment on their next visit and for years to come.
“This project forms part of our wider Vision for Stowmarket and supports our Covid recovery, by ensuring our sports and leisure infrastructure is modern and suitable in supporting our residents to remain active.
“Achieving the aims of our Leisure, Sport and Physical Activity Strategy, and focusing on the importance of our communities’ health and wellbeing, will be of paramount importance over coming years.”
Connah Lloyd, Everyone Active’s general manager at Mid Suffolk Leisure Centre, said:
“It’s great we’ve now flung open the doors to our bigger and better facilities and an improved fitness experience for our customers.
“The new gym is packed with top-of-the-range, fully-connected Technogym kit and includes a large bespoke rig for functional training. This fantastic equipment will allow people of all ages and fitness levels to get the most out of their workout.
“We look forward to continuing to work closely in partnership with Mid Suffolk District Council, to benefit the local community by achieving our objective of getting everyone active.”
The gym is currently being run at lower capacity to allow returning customers to exercise safely, in line with COVID-19 guidelines.
Everyone Active is also set to introduce and coordinate a new outreach programme in Mid Suffolk, which aims to bring sport and activity to a wider community to achieve the outcomes in the council’s Leisure, Sport and Physical Activity Strategy.