A 6-lane swimming pool in Reading is taking shape, as construction workers install the steel frame this month.
The Palmer Park pool is part of a £40M council investment in the town’s leisure facilities for the town.
The 25 metre pool, alongside a 100-station gym, children’s activity zone and café, will open late next year.
Reading Borough Councillor for sport Graeme Hoskin said: “It is exciting times to see these improvements and the building of our new pools and leisure centre progressing at pace now.
Read more: Watch this impressive aerial footage of new Reading leisure centre site
“I’m particularly looking forward to seeing the community pool frame going up at the end of this month which is when residents will be able to see the new facilities really beginning to take shape.”
‘Vibro Piling’ took place on-site in November, to lay the foundations of the new facilities, atechnique containing no cement, concrete or steel, reducing the carbon footprint.
The next major construction event will be the installation of the pool’s roof in April, 2022, meaning the gym and indoor sports facilities will be closed for six months.
The outside stadium, including the track, athletics and velodrome will continue to be in use.
Temporary toilet facilities will be provided for the duration of the closure for use by stadium users and members of the public.
All gym users will be able to access alternative fitness facilities at other GLL run Reading leisure centres during this period.
Paul Shearman, GLL’s partnership manager for Reading said: “This is an exciting major step on the road to delivering state-of-the-art leisure facilities to the people of Reading.
“The benefits that these new and updated facilities will offer the local community are huge. The pandemic has highlighted the importance of keeping physically active and maintaining a healthy weight.
“Reading’s new and upgraded leisure provision will offer an inviting and welcoming environment, for all local residents to enjoy, in addition to enabling us to provide dedicated courses and activities that encourage better health and wellbeing.”
Gert-Jan Peeters, director of Pellikaan UK, said: “We are pleased that phase 2 of the construction is well underway now. The development of the plans, in liaison with Reading Borough Council and operator GLL, is going very well and we are confident that the centre will be a welcome addition for the local community next year.”
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