Currently, as we speak, the Bromley Council are confirming plans for the latest renovation in West Wickham – the leisure centre. This is an important strategy to help promote healthy life styles and tackle the obesity epidemic, which now affects 62% of the population nationally.
The estimated total cost of construction is £35.9 million, £34.6 million of which will be contributed by the council in a bid to modernise the 50-year-old building, with the positive effect on the lives of the locals. Members of the leisure centre will have access to a new 25m pool and a new gym with ‘state of the art’ fitness machines, as well as a café and fitness studio for exercise classes. West Wickham library will also be relocated to the site and a new underground car park will be built.
Since the leisure centre was built in the 1960s, there has been little work to improve the facilities. Minor changes have been made, such as replacing the lockers in the changing rooms which arguably are ineffective and not beneficial for all users and therefore, have ultimately failed to combat the real issue at hand – the quality of building itself. Over the years it has become apparent that renovation of the site is necessary, in the swimming pool changing rooms especially, where there is a persistent problem with mould, which stains the ceilings and has spread across other surfaces.
Although a date has not been set as to when the project will begin, it has already become clear as to how the project will benefit the community – they will finally have access to well developed facilities set to change their lives for the better.
A fitness and leisure centre has never been more important than today. It is advised for an adult to take either 150 mins of moderate exercise per week such as aerobic workouts or brisk walking, or 75 mins of vigorous activity per week which includes fast swimming or running and all of which are covered under the monthly membership.
Health wise, the facilities will allow you to make a change for the better by helping exterminate obesity, one of the main contributors to death. The added availability of personal trainers provides workouts which enable you to safely exercise with injuries and medical issues considered.
Although some people will inevitably criticise the extortionate amount the build will cost, the overall benefits to the community are far greater due to the ‘state of the art’ facilities which furthermore encourages people to become active and make a change, obliterating the risk of terminal illnesses, linked to obesity, leading to a healthier population.
