Monday, May 12, 2008
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NEW SWIM POOLS AND TENNIS CENTRE POSSIBLE IN SPORTS SHAKE-UP

By Martin Neville - Friday, March 28, 2008
TWO council-run swimming pools could be demolished and re-built elsewhere and a state-of-the-art tennis centre with indoor and outdoor courts could be built in Newport.
A complete rebuild of Sandown’s The Heights leisure centre is likely to be one of the options brought forward following an Island-wide leisure needs study by the IW Council, due to be considered by councillors next month.
One option may be to replace it with new facilities at Sandown High School.
A similar proposal to demolish the Waterside Pool on Ryde Esplanade and replace it with up-to-date facilities, possibly at Ryde High School, is also expected to come forward.
Meanwhile, Newport could get a four-court indoor and four-court outdoor tennis centre in a joint scheme with the Lawn Tennis Association.
John Metcalfe, the council’s assistant director of adult social care and cultural services, said it would cost around £17 million to clear the backlog of repairs and bring leisure facilities up to an ‘as new’ standard.
“The decision we will need to make is whether or not it’s more cost effective to spend a huge capital sum on repairing the facilities we have got or actually investing in some brand new facilities that are modern, fit for purpose, meet people’s needs and are consistent with our Eco-Island values.”
But Sandown councillors Heather Humby and Ian Ward said they knew people in the town would not want to see The Heights relocated to Sandown High.
“I think it has long been recognised The Heights should have been built on the seafront where it could be a proper tourist facility as well as for residents’ use,” said Cllr Ward.
“Now it has got to the end of its life, this is an ideal opportunity to put right that original mistake.”
Council leader, Cllr David Pugh, stressed the leisure-needs analysis was about improving leisure provision and not rationalisation.
He said The Heights had suffered from years of under-investment.
“Ultimately the decision for us will be do we rebuild, refurbish what we have there or do we take the step to relocate,” he said.