Part of St Pauls Community Sports Academy in Bristol will partially close from May 2 next week for refurbishment. The gym will close but the sports hall, group fitness studio and outdoor courts will be unaffected by the works and will remain open as normal.
The work is expected to take just over six weeks, with the gym on Newfoundland Road set to reopen on June 16. The extension and modernisation of the St Pauls sports facility comes as part of an £8 million investment across five Everyone Active leisure centres in Bristol.
Everyone Active is investing £4.7m and the remainder is Bristol City Council funded. Extensive refurbishment work is set to take place over the course of the next three years with Horfield, Bristol South, Henbury and Easton Leisure Centre all on the list for a facelift with plans for a new soft play facility in Easton.
READ MORE: Bristol leisure centres set to be renovated with new soft play facilities and cafes
The leisure centre operator says the gym in St Pauls will be equipped with all new state-of-the-art equipment from Life Fitness. Cardio equipment such as cross trainers, rowers and treadmills as well as resistance equipment such as squat racks and Smith machines will be installed.
New free weights, benches and dumbbells will be installed in a larger free weights area. Other improvements include two new treatment rooms, a new floor and lighting and a refurbished reception area with new seating for customers.
Cameron Bate, Everyone Active’s Contract Manager, said: “St Pauls is an integral part of the Bristol community and we’re so excited that the much-needed refurbishment is getting underway. The improvements represent a real investment in ensuring fitness and sport facilities are accessible to all in the community.
"We hope the transformation will be of great benefit to our members and will hopefully pay dividends for years to come.”
Councillor Ellie King, Cabinet Member for Public Health, communities and Bristol One City, said: “We know that exercising regularly is great for both the body and mind, but access to good facilities can be an issue. Our recently approved Leisure Investment Strategy sets out the approach we will take with our leisure partners to invest in facilities across the city.
“The refurbishment and investment at St Pauls Community Sports Academy will provide new, modern facilities for local people to enjoy. I look forward to seeing residents take full advantage of the refurbishment and use these opportunities to keep active and improve their health."
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