Question
On the Carnival Pool site in Wokingham, what extra facilities will residents benefit from when this rebuild scheme goes ahead, as approved in principle and being in the Capital Programme, assuming site assembly?
Minutes:
Question
On the Carnival Pool site in Wokingham, what extra facilities will residents benefit from when this rebuild scheme goes ahead, as approved in principle and being in the Capital Programme, assuming site assembly?
Answer
We are incredibly excited about the Carnival Phase 2 project. It will complement our leisure centres which I believe under your jurisdiction have gone from strength to strength. I think we have some of the best facilities in any borough around our Borough. This is especially important in Wokingham Town which has seen rapid growth and increased demand.
The existing leisure centre is small with limited facilities and by replacing it with a brand new facility, similar to the one which we are developing in Bulmershe, we will be able to give our local residents a far better experience.
The new centre is significantly larger with facilities including new studio spaces, a four court indoor sports hall, a larger gym, spinning studio and new pools, including a teaching pool with a moveable depth floor, (which I didn’t understand when I saw it but I do understand it now), which can be used for a much wider range of classes and activities. There is also space for additional activities, which are being discussed with Places Leisure our contractor who have done such a good job with the other leisure centres, but could include things such as a soft play area or something similar which we have introduced in other leisure centres which have been very popular.
The centre will also open up facilities to a much wider range of people as it includes lots of accessibility improvements such as: improved access to the swimming pools; a Changing Places facility; and a specialist gym to support those with long term conditions.
In addition to this the new Carnival building will also have lots of community uses including: a large state of the art library with more flexibility for hosting an improved range of activities and community events, which continue to prove so popular everywhere else; a larger café; and interestingly enough the opportunity to use the wider centre for even more community events including the four court sports hall able to convert into a fantastic 400 seat performance venue which we hope to have its debut at our Wokingham Festival in 2022.
Supplementary Question
I am delighted that this is moving on. Having been, as you referred to, closely involved in looking at all the options I realised the state of the current pool, and the pipework underneath, apart from all the other elements which we are now benefitting and building in I have to say also in my terrible past, way back, I was on the Planning Committee when Southgate House came forward.
In comparing with the Bracknell regeneration have we had to make any number of compulsory purchase orders to assemble the sites?
Supplementary Answer
We have a compulsory purchase order for Carnival Pool tonight. I believe that is the only one we have done there but I am not sure. I can come back to you after enquiring of the Officers.