Work to provide improved leisure facilities and a new library for a County Durham town is to begin this month.
Durham County Council is to carry out refurbishment works at Spennymoor Leisure Centre, including creating a new home for the town’s library within the building, from Monday 21 November.
The work aims to improve the physical and mental health of residents, helping them to live long and independent lives, and to provide long-term benefits to the community.
It follows consultation on proposals for both the leisure centre and the town’s library last year.
The work will include the following:
- Moving the reception area to a centralised location within the building to allow easier access from the town centre.
- Relocation of the town’s existing library into the leisure centre building. This will be a new space in the former café area.
- Upgrading the pool space to add even more fun and interaction. The centre’s popular slide and waves feature will remain as they are.
- A new soft play facility to encourage children to be more active from an early age. This will include the opening of a new café serving healthy food and drinks within the new play space.
The work will be carried out in three phases. Phase one includes work on the new reception area, foyer and library space and begins on 21 November.
It is expected that the leisure centre will remain accessible for most activities during this phase, although there may be some minor disruption such as a change in where they take place. However due to its location, the multi-sensory room will need to close while work is taking place in that area of the centre. The existing library, on Cheapside, will remain open until the new facility is ready.
Phases two and three include works in the swimming pool and sports hall areas and are scheduled to take place in summer 2023. Both of these phases are likely to include some closures and updates will be provided in due course.
Cllr James Rowlandson, Cabinet member for resources, investments and assets, said: “We’re really excited to be on the verge of starting work at Spennymoor Leisure Centre. Across leisure and libraries, both individually and collectively, we want to create an attractive and exciting offer that brings together opportunities for families. We also want to provide spaces and places which are modern, well equipped, and meet the needs of our communities.
“The work at Spennymoor will do all of those things, delivering an updated range of activities and facilities that will help people keep active, promote a healthy lifestyle, and enjoy everything our libraries offer in a new facility. It will also help us to sustain our leisure and library services now and into the future.
“With such significant work taking place, some form of disruption is unavoidable and we apologise in advance for the closure of the multi-sensory room in particular. We will do everything we can to keep any disruptions to a minimum and will provide updates throughout the various phases.”
Further information is available at www.durham.gov.uk/spennymoorleisurecentre
