Paralympic champion Ollie Hynd helps to place first girder at Kirkby’s new £15.5m leisure centre

Kirkby’s very own swimming golden boy Ollie Hynd joined representatives from Ashfield District Council and construction company Kier to write their names on the first girder as it went into the ground on Tuesday.

The centre will be run by Everyone Active – in partnership with the council – and will boast a swimming pool, splash pad, fitness suite, sauna and steam rooms, adventure play, group exercise studios, a sports hall and health hub as well as clip-and-climb facilities.

Work began on the site, between Lindleys Lane and the Festival Hall Leisure Centre on Hodgkinson Road, five months ago and continues until early 2022.

Artist impressions have now been released showing how it will look.

The project has received £1.5m backing from the N2 Town Centres programme, which supports town centre investment projects across Nottinghamshire, thanks to D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership funds.

Sajeeda Rose, chief executive at D2N2 LEP said: “The LEP is committed to supporting our region’s towns to be thriving centres of economic growth. The state-of-the-art leisure facilities will be hugely significant for Kirkby and an important hub for community activities and a key focal point for the town.”

Council leader Jason Zadrozny, chairman Arnie Hankin and portfolio holder for health and leisure, Coun Kier Barsby also marked their names.

“A massive thank to the huge team involved in getting this project to this stage, including everyone at Ashfield District Council and Kier,” said Coun Zadrozny.

“The new centre will be a fantastic community hub with state-of-the-art facilities. Along with our huge investments into Hucknall and Lammas leisure centres, this demonstrates our appetite to improve our leisure provision.”

Ollie, who won two gold medals in the 2016 games in Rio along with gold, silver and bronze at London 2012, said: “With quality pools available in Hucknall and Sutton, it’s brilliant we’re now going to have excellent swimming facilities for everyone in my hometown Kirkby.”

“I’m very proud of what I have achieved in my sport. I’m sure having a leisure centre will bring through the next generation of world champion athletes from Ashfield.”

Lorenzo Clark, Everyone Active’s contract manager, said it will be an ‘outstanding facility for Kirkby’ and will serve ‘all ages and interests’.

"We’re proud and excited at the prospect of running the centre on behalf of Ashfield District Council and cannot wait for the doors to open," said Lorenzo.

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