New Sports and Leisure Centre to open in March

The new £13.5m Blackburn Sports and Leisure Centre will open its doors to the public on Monday, March 9.

Waves Water Fun Centre will close on Sunday, February 22, at the end of the half term week. As usual, swimming will be free all week if you have a beeZ card.

It is the end of an era for Waves which was opened by Princess Anne more than 25 years ago but sports and leisure has changed dramatically during that time. The new centre combines the best of both worlds, with its modern sports facilities including dance/aerobic studio, separate spinning studio, health suite, sports halls and sports science lab together with the new swimming pools, children’s’ water fun zone and two water slides.

The new Blackburn Sports and Leisure Centre in Feilden Street has been built as a result of a partnership between Blackburn with Darwen Council and Blackburn College.

Customers can use all other leisure centres/pools in the borough during the handover period.

Students from the college and community sports groups have been using the 2 sports halls since last year. Work on the new pools is due to be completed in the next few weeks.

Olympic freestyle swimmer Rebecca Adlington OBE will officially open the  Sports and Leisure Centre on March 20.

After the official unveiling of the plaque, invited guests will enjoy a tour of the new facilities and around 100 invited representatives and volunteers from local sports clubs and organisations along with current and prospective students will take part in a question and answer session with Rebecca.

Waves will be demolished next month too and the site sold for development by the council as part of ongoing regeneration of the town centre.

Councillor Damian Talbot, Executive Member for Culture, Leisure and Young People said: “Waves was state of the art when it first opened more than 25 years ago and has provided a lot of fun for a lot of people over the years.

“Since then, people’s needs and the facilities or activities available to us have changed dramatically and the new sports and leisure centre will be a first class venue for the borough.

“Sports facilities and activities at new centre will be second to none but we will not lose the fun side and I am sure the new pool and flumes will bring visitors from far and wide – just as Waves has done over the years.”