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The dream of having a new state-of-the-art sports centre and swimming
pool in Leigh, as part of the £83m Leigh Sports Village development, has
taken another step towards becoming reality with the appointment of a
manager for the soon-to-be-completed Indoor Sports Centre.
Mike Woodruff, formerly centre manager at the award-winning Robin Park
Sports Centre and Arena, has taken on the mantle of managing one of the
most exciting facilities to be built in the borough for decades. The
£6.4m Indoor Sports Centre is being funded by Greenbank Partnership,
Wigan Council and Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust.
Mike, who managed Robin Park for seven years and has worked for Wigan
Leisure and Culture Trust for 20 years, will have responsibility to
manage a sports centre with some of the best sports facilities in the
North West:
Swimming pool a 25m, six-lane pool designed to host competitive
swimming galas with spectator seating for 180 people and room for 150
competitors
Sports hall consisting of eight courts, can be used for badminton,
basketball, netball, volleyball and football with seating for up to 250
people
Fitness gym the fitness suite will have 65 work stations consisting
of weight resistance and cardiovascular equipment
Multi-Purpose room will provide a range of aerobic sessions and
martial arts activities for up to 50 People
Aerobics suite ideal for aerobic work-outs and suitable for all ages
and abilities
Changing room village a series of individual changing areas
complemented by six additional changing rooms.
Mike says, I am absolutely thrilled to be given this opportunity to
take charge of what will be a brilliant new sports facility. Although
the centre will only open next summer, the hard work starts now. We will
be working to get all of the correct equipment in place and make sure
the finishes to the sports centre will give the people of Leigh
something to be proud of.
Mike continues, I will soon begin building a programme of activities to
suit local sports clubs and the community as a whole. From the new year
onwards we will then look to put in place our staffing structure. These
are very exciting times for everyone involved in the project.
Leigh Indoor Sports Centre, a crucial element of the Leigh Sports
Village project, is due for completion in summer 2007. Leigh Sports
Village will be the focal point for all leisure activities in Leigh,
providing opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to enjoy
a wide range of activities - including swimming, athletics, football and
rugby - within a green and accessible environment.
Rodney Hill, Chief Executive of Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust, says,
Mike has a proven track record of delivering excellence and he also has
experience of working in the east of the borough, having been a Duty
Manager at Howe Bridge Sports Centre. We are looking forward to working
with all of the partners involved in the Leigh Sports Village project to
deliver an area of regional importance that will be rich in recreational
and social vitality.
For further information on Leigh Indoor Sports Centre please contact
Mike Woodruff on 01942 893697.
-ends-
NOTES TO EDITORS: For further information on this News Release please
contact Chris Dunbar, Public Relations Officer, Wigan Leisure and
Culture Trust on 01942 486937 or at
c.dunbar@wlct.org. Alternatively
contact David Mather, Head of Public Relations at Wigan Council on 01942
827164 or at
d.mather@wiganmbc.gov.uk
Images: The images attached show Wigan Leisure and Culture Trusts
Rodney Hill and Mike Woodruff on site at the new sports centre.
Leigh Sports Village: For further information about Leigh Sports Village
please contact Deborah Sadler on 0161 235 6392 or at
deborah.sadler@sadlerpr.com
Leigh Sports Village is the biggest investment in public sports,
recreational and educational facilities in Wigan borough for many years
and will transform Leigh into one of the finest hubs of activity in the
North West.
The £83m project also includes:
- 10,000 seat stadium
- new 6th form college building
- 400 metre running track with a covered sprinting facility and club
house
- new pavilion for a local amateur rugby league club
- floodlit grass and artificial pitches and a multi use games area
- 150 bedroom 4 star hotel and offices
- leisure and specialist retail facilities including a cinema, health &
fitness centre, restaurants, bars and a ten-pin bowling alley.
Partners involved in Leigh Sports Village include:
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Greenbank Partnerships Limited
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Leigh Centurions Rugby League Club
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Leigh East Amateur Rugby Football Club
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Leigh Harriers Athletics Club
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Leigh RMI Football Club
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Leigh Sports Village Company
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Leigh Sports Village Trust
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Wigan and Leigh College
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Wigan Council
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Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust
Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust: Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust is a
charitable trust working on behalf of Wigan Council to manage and
support leisure and cultural facilities, initiatives and events for over
300,000 residents in the Wigan Borough. See
www.wlct.org.
Getting Wigan Active: Getting Wigan Active is Wigan Leisure and Culture
Trusts vision to ensure that people across the Wigan Borough have the
opportunity to become more physically, mentally and creatively active.
It also aims to increase community activity and to encourage good
citizenship.
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WLCT's Chief Executive Rodney Hill
(left) and Mike Woodruff
Mike Woodruff and Rodney Hill survey
the new construction
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