New Ladywood leisure centre up and running
Ladywood's £8.5 million state-of-the-art leisure centre in Ladywood, located between Icknield Port Road and Ladywood Middleway, has opened its doors to the public
Ladywood Leisure Centre will be operated by Birmingham Community Leisure Trust (BCLT). The new facility is the last of four new builds funded by Birmingham City Council and Sport England as part the 15-year BCLT contract signed in 2015. Ladywood joins the other new sites, Erdington, Northfield and Stechford leisure centres, plus five other facilities currently operated by BCLT around the city.
Cllr Paulette Hamilton, Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care at Birmingham City Council, said:"I’m certain the people of Ladywood and surrounding areas will really make the most of this fantastic new leisure centre and, as we count down to the 2022 Commonwealth Games, this state-of-the-art facility shows our continued commitment to first-class grassroots sporting facilities in Birmingham."
Ladywood leisure centre will boast a 130-station gym, offering a full range of cardio and resistance equipment and giving customers the variety they’ll need to stay motivated and on track to hit their fitness goals. An extensive suite of workout classes will also be on offer, including holistic sessions like Yoga, aqua classes in the pool, plus a many favourites from the world-renowned LES MILLS™ range, including BODYPUMP and BODYCOMBAT. There will also be high intensity classes for people in a rush to get ripped.
For swimmers, there will be a 25-metre, 8-lane competition standard pool, and dedicated teaching pool for lessons. There will also be a Poolpod, which is nifty bit of kit, which helps people with disabilities get in and out of the pool, allowing them to enjoy the benefits of being in the water. And for parents/guardians who want to watch their children learn to swim, there is a spectator area.
To relax those aching muscles, the new centre has a sauna and steam room, and there will also be a caféM. on site, offering healthy snacks, great coffee and a friendly welcome to Ladywood locals.
Brian Taylor, BCLT’s Chair said: “We are incredibly proud to be opening this fantastic state-of-the-art facility, which we are confident will become a hub of activity for the residents of Ladywood and surrounding areas. Our team has worked incredibly hard with our construction partners ISG to make our vision for the centre a reality.
“This new facility has already created over 50 new jobs, and our recruitment team has done great work engaging with the local community, successfully securing positions for long-term unemployed people in the area.”
The building work for Ladywood leisure centre and the three other BCLT new builds was carried out by global construction firm ISG. As with the other BCLT new builds, Ladywood leisure centre has been designed to minimise life-cycle costs and support BCC’s push towards more sustainable facilities, demonstrating the council’s commitment to modernising its leisure infrastructure, while providing outstanding community leisure facilities, and driving increasing levels of participation.
As well as a full range of membership options, people can use Ladywood leisure centre on a pay as you go basis. As with all other BCLT facilities, Ladywood will be a centre where people can use the Passport to Leisure, which offers up to 20% off most activities.
On top of all the gym and swim action, there will also be a varied programme of sessions and classes for kids, including dance and gymnastics. Local people will also have the chance to access the gym and swimming pool for free, for one hour each day, as part of the popular Be Active scheme, which operates around the city.
