FROM MONDAY, parking charges are to be introduced to Palmer Park’s car park.
Until now, it has been free, but from November 1, that changes to the first three hours for leisure users, and 50p thereafter, up to a maximum stay of seven hours. All cars need to be registered.
And no parking in permitted in the park between midnight and 6am.
It’s all part of work to create a new 25-metre six-lane pool, a replacement for the historic Victorian baths at Cemetery Junction that were closed in 2019, much to Newtown’s dismay.
Palmer Park’s new facility will include a 100-station gym, an activity zone for children with party rooms and a new café and information hub.
Assuming all goes to plan, it will open this time next year.
It’s not the only new pool that Reading will see. Work has started on Rivermead’s new 25-metre eight-lane pool. Facilities will include a combined teaching and diving pool.
There will also be a splash pad, and a 25-metre five-lane pool for clubs and swimming lessons.
Other facilities include a café, an information hub, a soft play areas, a six-court sports hall with 250 spectator seats, a 120-station gym with three studios and a new outside play area.
This is expected to open in the spring of 2023.
Woking will take place in two phases, with the new leisure coming ahead of the demotion of the existing site, which will be used for parking and the play area.
And there are also plans to revamp South Reading Leisure Centre and Meadway in Tilehurst, as part of a £40 million investment in Reading’s sports and leisure programme.
Cllr Graeme Hoskin, Reading Borough Council’s lead councillor for sport, said: “It is exciting times to see the building of our new pools and leisure centre progressing. This continues to provide residents with tangible evidence of our commitment to delivering the new facilities.”
He told Reading Today: “I think all of us in Reading know that this work is well overdue. We’ve been trying to get this in place for a number of years, but it’s been delayed due to Covid and council cuts.
“Now to see the work on the ground and the scale of it is really exciting. We can’t wait until this is built and the facilities opened up.”
He said that he was particularly excited for the diving pool to be back, following the closure of Central pool, and being able to offer a competition pool once again.
“What we are building here has a good balance between both a sporting facilities and a leisure centre for families. I think people can be really impressed with the quality of what’s been designed.”
With Palmer Park, Cllr Hoskin said that it was exciting to be able to offer a wide mixture of sporting activities at the site, including cycling, athletics, swimming and the gym.
“It’s going to be amazing, it’s going to be brilliant,” he said.
