South Norwood Leisure Centre
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South Norwood Leisure Centre is a leisure centre located on Portland Road in South Norwood, Croydon. The centre has recently gone through a refurbishment process which has seen it closed for more than a year and a half. It contains a 25m sized swimming pool with seating for spectators. The centre is owned by Parkwood Leisure [1] and Sport Croydon[2].
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[edit] Controversy
The centre has gone through a rough period recently. In 2005 the then Labour-run Croydon Council announced that it would knock down the centre and re-build it from scratch, promising that the building would be a state of the art leisure facility. [3] Originally, the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, had given the go-ahead for the development of a £10 million multi-purpose sports and leisure centre on a new site next to Croydon Sports Arena in South Norwood on 3 December 2003, but this plan was shelved in favour of redeveloping the existing site. The Council stated that the new leisure centre would take 18 months to build, and be finished by late 2007.
This exciting new facility will include a main pool, teaching pool, gym and sports hall which will bring great new leisure opportunities to Croydon.
The planning of this was well under-way, but the 2006 local elections led to a change of political control of the Council. The Conservatives changed the policy regarding the pool. After what they called "a long decision", the Conservatives decided, in an attempt to save money, that instead of re-building it they would simply refurbish the facility at a reduced cost of £4million.
The refurbishment is claimed to give the pool an extra 30 years of life and the council has defended the decision, insisting the £6million saving can be used for modernising facilities elsewhere. However, this decision angered many local residents in the surrounding area. [4]
On 25 July 2006, the Council upheld its controversial decision to refurbish rather than rebuild it. [5] Protesters were at the town hall for the meeting and handed over a 3,000 signature petition as part of a two-month campaign to persuade the council to change its mind. Nevertheless, it was announced the refurbishment plan would go ahead after a debate starting after 10pm. Campaigners claimed that their views had been ignored.
Speaking at the meeting, Coun Hollands said: "I understand the disappointment but Croydon can't afford to build a new leisure centre." Councillor Sue Bennett, one of the ward councillors for South Norwood, stated: "To say it was a difficult decision is undoubted and to say it was the right decision is under much debate. However the council can't afford it." Community groups continue to campaign on the matter.
[edit] Transport links
There is a bus stop outside serving Peckham, Croydon, New Addington and elsewhere by the 130, 197 and the 312.
Norwood Junction railway station is the nearest overground station to the centre. The nearest Croydon Tramlink stops are Harrington Road for Beckenham and Woodside for Wimbledon and Elmers End.
