South Holland residents who have campaigned for a sauna to be included as part of the area’s new leisure centre say they’re ‘really pleased’ after a U-turn.
There have been numerous complaints that the new £28m South Holland Health and Wellbeing Hub didn’t include such a facility when there’s one in the current Castle Sport Complex in Spalding.
Even in August, South Holland District Council told The Voice it would require changes to the plan that would be too expensive.
But at last week’s meeting of South Holland District Council, its portfolio holder overseeing the project, Coun Gary Taylor, pledged that a sauna would be included in the ‘second phase’ of construction.
There are currently no firm plans as to the design of the new sauna, though it will not be pool side like the current facility.
Coun Taylor said he’d ‘listened and taken on the feedback’ of users and ‘asked officers to include a sauna provision in phase two.’
According to the council’s website set up for the revamp, phase two relates to the demolition of the existing pool, though Coun Taylor said he was referring to the construction phase which will also see a ‘splash pad’ and multi-use games area built around the first phrase.
Speaking after the meeting he claimed a sauna was something he ‘wanted’ and had ‘been pushing for some time’.
“This isn’t some rumour, it’s going to happen,” he said. “For some the sauna is a minor issue but for others it’s a fundamental part of going to the centre.
“Not having one would seem like a reduction in what the new centre would have to offer.
“I was really pleased to be able to make the announcement it’s going to happen and we now need to finalise the details for phase two.”
Linda Brown is among the regular users of the sauna who had campaigned for one to be included in the new leisure centre.
She told The Voice she’d been ‘fighting the plans since they were first published.
“We are really pleased and surprised,” she said.
Coun Taylor said that ongoing work is progressing ‘well’ on the project, partly funded by £20m of National Lottery funding.
He said construction on the outdoor 3G pitch began last month and that ‘positive conversations have taken place with a volunteer group regarding the garden plan.’
When work began, the council said the planned opening date was by this coming January.
Coun Taylor told the meeting: “It’s for the whole district to benefit from the modern mix of indoor and outdoor activities to support residents of all ages to lead more healthy lives.”
