The 25-metre swimming pool at Stourbridge’s Crystal Leisure Centre has re-opened today (Friday August 6) following eye-catching improvement works to the swimming pools and changing rooms.
The leisure pool will re-open later this month. Free swimming for children at the Crystal will re-start when the leisure pool re-opens, although competent swimmers can attend lane-only swimming sessions in the 25m pool but are advised to abide by pool etiquette.
The slides in the leisure pool, a popular draw for youngsters, have undergone a tropical revamp – with a talented local artist painting fish and other sea creatures along the inside.
It will create an effect of appearing like the fish are swimming when water is flowing through them again. The popular wave machine has also been totally refurbished.
The changing rooms have been demolished and completely remodelled, with both the leisure pool and the 25m pool drained, repaired, cleaned and refilled.
It comes as improvement works are also continuing at Halesowen Leisure Centre, and a new £18m leisure centre is set to open in Dudley town centre next year.
Councillor Simon Phipps, cabinet member responsible for leisure centres, said:
"It’s fantastic to see the 25 metre pool back open at Crystal – and I hope that will soon be followed by the leisure pool for youngsters to enjoy free swimming with their friends and families over the school summer holidays.
"I had the chance to have a look around and I must say the contractors have done a first class job.
"We are committed to providing the best possible leisure facilities we can for borough residents, and we know how popular Crystal Leisure Centre is.
"We received a lot of feedback from people saying how important they thought the slides were. The overwhelming message was that they should stay in any revamp of the centre. They also told us the changing rooms were desperately in need of upgrading. As a listening council we have taken that on board, and we hope people will like what we have done when they come back into Crystal.
"With improvements also ongoing at Halesowen Leisure Centre, and work progressing really quickly on the new centre in Dudley, we are overseeing the biggest spend on leisure services in decades and will soon have facilities in our borough that we can all be proud of."
Halesowen is in-line for a new look entrance, adventure play area and café. There will also be major changes to the swimming pool to cater for learner and advanced swimmers. The plans also include new ‘village style’ changing rooms, pool-side viewing area and a state-of-the-art fitness suite.
And work is well underway on the new £18.2million Duncan Edwards Leisure centre in Dudley. The council has agreed to fund photovoltaic panels on the roof that will make the new leisure centre one of the most energy efficient around.
The plans are part of a wider major regeneration programme bringing over £1billion investment to the town centre. The new leisure centre will benefit from excellent public transport links through the forthcoming adjacent Metro stop and the nearby bus Interchange.
The new facility will include a 25 metre, eight-lane swimming pool and a teaching pool with spectator provision. There will be a four-court sports hall suitable for indoor football, badminton and more.
The investment will also include a 100-station gym and fitness suite, two group exercise studios for a wide range of exercise classes and an immersive cycle studio, a first for the Black Country.
For families with younger children there will be a soft play area with catering facilities and a party room, and a café open to all users of the centre. And for those who want to relax after their workout session there’s set to be a sauna.
There will also be power-assisted gym equipment for specialist support which may be particularly beneficial for those recovering from injury, older customers and those living with long-term health conditions.