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Proceeds of Atherton Baths sale to be reinvested in Wigan leisure facilities
Wigan Council is to invest £270,000 in upgrading leisure facilities in the east of the borough following the sale of the Atherton Baths site.
Most of the money will be spent on a £215,000 improvement at the Howe Bridge Sports Centre while the remaining £55,000 will purchase equipment for the new sports centre and swimming pool being built at the £6.4m Leigh Sports Village, which is scheduled to open in July 2007.
Work begins on site at Howe Bridge on 11 December and includes new disabled, family and group changing facilities; improved showers; vanity facilities; new ceilings, lighting and decoration; and improved changing room flooring. The facility will remain fully open throughout most of the work, which is scheduled for completion in April 2007.
Martin Eden, executive director for sport and healthy living for Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust, which operates the facility, said: "Howe Bridge is the busiest pool in the borough, with over 200,000 swim visits annually, and we wanted to upgrade the changing facilities to improve the experience for our customers.
“We have invested heavily in the Profiles gym recently and so it is important that we brought the changing facilities up to the required standard.
“There will be some disruption for our regular customers, but the long term benefit is that the changing facilities will be vastly improved."
Wigan Council Leader, Peter Smith, added: "The original decision to close Atherton Baths wasn't taken lightly, but we always promised that the proceeds from the sale would be reinvested in sports facilities.
"The cabinet was very happy to fulfil that pledge, by agreeing to Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust putting the money from the sale of the building towards improving facilities at Howe Bridge and the new public sports centre at Leigh Sports Village. This way, the residents of Atherton will benefit from the sale of a local asset and it's a good example of the council and the trust working in partnership." Details: www.wlct.org
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