THE BRAND new leisure centre at Palmer Park has officially celebrated opening with a famous face and pool-side demonstration of the new facilities.
While the centre opened to the public in December, on Thursday, January 12, it marked the opening with the unveiling of a plaque for the new venue.
The event was attended by Paralympic gold medallist Graham Edmunds, as well as the mayor of Reading, Cllr Rachel Eden, and representatives from the council and site developers.
Cllr Eden addressed attendees, saying: “This new centre has still got what we’ve always had at Palmer Park, great athletics and cycling facilities and that’s what made this original centre so special.
“But we’ve widened its appeal by adding a state-of-the-art gym and fitness suites, a family-friendly pool, soft play, party rooms, and the all-important cafe.”
She explained that it was part of the council’s continued commitment to “investing in improved leisure and sports facilities.
“It’s important to ensure that everyone in our community can access and participate and enjoy physical activity.
“So accessibility is at the heart of the designs, and I was particularly delighted by the involvement of access and disabilities working group.”
She thanked the builders, Pelikaan Construction, and leisure partners GLL, before welcoming Graham Edmunds to speak.
Mr Edmunds performed at the 2004 and 2008 Summer Paralympics in Athens and Beijing respectively, taking home a gold medal in freestyle swimming for each.
He has also competed as a member of the Paralympic GB team at London’s games in 2012.
He gave a short speech before unveiling the brand-new plaque which commemorated the ceremony.
This was followed by a demonstration by the Electric Eels, a swimming club for children with learning disabilities, who performed synchronised swimming as a six-person team for the first time.
Members took to the pool to perform a routine along to Abba’s Souper Trouper, followed by a tour of the facilities.
Mr Edmunds, who was born in Reading, said: “This place is amazing.
“I’m just so excited to be here, the outside is great-looking, and the inside is even better.
“I’ve been all over the world and I’ve seen some amazing state-of-the-art places, and this is right up there with them.”
While he moved away to make use of other facilities while training for the 2004 Summer Paralympics, he says that the new centre provides for a range of people and circumstances.
“It’s not about necessarily doing sport but the level that I do, it’s not about elite– you’ve got that capability of the pool, it’s the right height for anyone who wants to learn to swim, it has the wheelchair assist if they need access to it.
“The gym has all the machines– when I had my motorbike accident, I had to learn to walk again, and I used venues like this to do that and to build my muscles back up.
“That was a massively important environment to my rehab and then my progression thereafter.”
Overall, he said that with the new facility: “They’ve got it right on every single level for me.
“The venue’s got everything you need, and being in the heart of the community here I’m hoping that people will come in and make use of its capability.
“I don’t know many places that have got facilities like this which are so all-encompasing.”
Picture: Chris Forsey, courtesy of Reading Borough Council
