Kirkby gets swimming pool after 87-year-long battle with opening of new leisure centre

He was joined by Ashfield District Council’s Leader Jason Zadrozny and his team.

The leisure centre, complete with swimming pool, concludes an 87-year-long fight for the facility, after residents in Kirkby were first promised a council-run swimming pool in 1935.

Tom Huddlestone, who this week signed as player-coach at Manchester United, said: “I was thrilled to be part of the official opening of Kirkby Leisure Centre.

"After cutting the ribbon, I enjoyed a tour of the amazing new facilities. It is a fantastic new building and something that Ashfield District Council and local residents should be very proud of. I hope families will enjoy the facilities and use them for many years to come.”

Councillor Jason Zadrozny said that the new pool proved that “…politicians can keep their promises.”

Jason, the leader of the Ashfield Independent-run council, said, “The new swimming pool in Kirkby puts to an end 87 years of hurt – 87 years of broken promises by previous councils.

"The Ashfield Independents made a promise to the people of Kirkby in 2019. The new, fully accessible swimming pool shows that politicians can keep their promises.

"Our new leisure centre is about much more than a pool – it’s about giving residents the state of the art facilities they deserve.

I’d like to thank everybody who has helped us realise our dream. Kirkby finally has a swimming pool and I couldn’t be prouder to be the leader of the council that delivered it.”

Kirkby Leisure Centre features a 25m swimming pool and splash pad area, a multi-purpose sports hall, fitness suite, a fun climb wall, soft play area, steam room and sauna, a café, wellbeing studio and sensory room.

The sports hall also has the capability to be used as a cinema facility with 196 retractable seats.

In a distinguished career spanning almost two decades, Nottingham-born Tom Huddlestone made more than 500 appearances with 240 of those coming in the Premier League, playing for Tottenham, Wolves, Derby and Hull City. This week, the former England International signed for Manchester United as their new player coach.