Search for new home for River Park Leisure Centre

Saddled with rising maintenance costs, the city council is deciding whether to modernise the centre.

The alternative is to build a new one and council officers are looking at potential sites.

This week, one was put forward by Winchester Fit for the Future, a campaign group of city sports clubs.

It has suggested the council depot in Bar End Road. Once run by Serco, and now by Biffa, it will soon be replaced by a new depot in Barfield Close nearby.

Once vacant, the land beside the city’s running track and University of Winchester pitches could be ideal, the group says.

Its campaign director is Emma Back from Fulflood, whose children are members of several clubs backing the drive.

She said: “With all the work that needs doing at River Park Leisure Centre it might make more sense to look elsewhere.”

She added that the centre, which opened in 1974, had a large carbon footprint and could not host major competitions.

Sue Falconer, who chairs Winchester City Penguins Swimming Club, said they would like a 50-metre pool.

That would allow the club, which has around 800 members, to host swimming galas.

At the moment, the nearest Olympic sized pools are in Portsmouth and Aldershot, she said.

A larger pool, which could be divided in half, would provide more space for club swimmers and public users, she added.

“I think we have one of the highest levels of sports participation in the country and Winchester deserves facilities which reflect that,” she said.

Along with the Penguins, several other groups are backing the campaign including Winchester and District Athletics Club.

City council cabinet member for culture, heritage and sport, Cllr Patricia Stallard, said she was pleased they were involved.

She added there was a “sound argument” for Bar End, but they were looking at several sites.

She said: “Our minds are not closed. We have asked the estates officers to examine all possible options.

“We will make an informed choice because we don’t want to end up saying ‘we’ll put it here’ and then realise it wasn’t the best place.”

If the council modernises River Park Leisure Centre, the likely cost is £4m.

“As buildings get older the maintenance costs get higher, so we have to pay more each year,” said Cllr Stallard.

Cllr Dominic Hiscock, who represents the area where the centre is currently based, said he wanted it to stay put.

He said: “I think it would be a shame if the leisure centre moved. It’s a good facility in the middle of the city.”

He added that demolishing it and selling the land might be difficult because it was prone to flooding.

“If the council depends on the value of that site being high then I think they might end up disappointed,” he said.

Cllr Chris Pines, whose ward includes the council depot, said: “I’ve heard that the council might be looking at three different sites, but it’s entirely speculation at this stage.”

He added that his preferred use of the vacant depot would be affordable housing.

He said: “We’ve invested so much into River Park Leisure Centre that to dump it and start again would be an enormous cost and I’m not sure if people have thought that one through.

“It would be nice to have a new leisure centre, but we’re only a small town and can we afford it?”