Work has started on the new Rivermead leisure centre in Reading as part of a £40m town’s investment in leisure facilities. A new leisure centre at the Rivermead site Will be developed to replace the Rivermead leisure complex and gym. The development is due to complete by spring 2023. The site owners, Reading Borough Council, stated that despite challenges brought by Covid it remained committed to creating a modern leisure facilities.
Developed by a London contractor Pellikaan Construction, the new Rivermead leisure centre will contain a six-court sports hall teaching and diving pool and an 120-station gym. The site’s development is set to take place in two phases, starting with a new leisure centre construction on the current centre’s car park site. The second phase will be marked by existing building demolition to make additional car park spaces, and the old leisure centre will remain open until the new one is fully constructed. The lead for sport, Councillor Graeme Hoskin, said that they had both major builds at Palmer Park and Rivermead underway. “It well and truly helps residents with tangible evidence of the dedication to developing the new facilities.”
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The development’s operation.
The new Rivermead leisure centre will be run by GLL, who currently operates the council’s leisure centres on their behalf. During the pandemic the firm collected a £410,000 council bailout to keep Rivermead open. The development comes as work earlier this month commenced on the refurbishment of the Palmer Park Sports Stadium, where a new swimming pool will also be built.
The council is spending £32,000 to the Palmer Park failing hammer throwing cage facilities with the funds from a 765-home previous Toys R Us development. Reading Borough Council (RBC) will utilize Section 106 receipts from the scheme at 42 Kenavon Drive, the former Toys R Us and Homebase space. The developer presented £353,509 to the council as a leisure handout being part of the council’s agreement for the 765-home development.
