Boost for swimming pool facilities across Reading

FURTHER investment in Reading’s swimming pool facilities gets underway at the beginning of July, starting with improvements to the changing facilities at Meadway Sports Centre.

From the 3 July the swimming pool changing rooms at Meadway Sports Centre will be undergoing significant refurbishment works, including brand new accessible changing facilities.

As well as the accessible changing facility, improvements will include new showers, flooring, cubicles and lockers.

Use of the Meadway pool is unaffected by the work and temporary changing facilities will be available to the front of the building. During this time swimmers are asked to arrive at the centre 'beach ready' to avoid overcrowding. The work is expected to last for three months until the beginning of October.

The new Rivermead leisure centre opens on the 17 July. From the 14 July, the demountable swimming pool at Rivermead will be temporarily unavailable while GLL undertake essential works to incorporate the pool building into the new leisure centre and give the facilities a deep clean. The pool will back in use by the new academic year in September.

Rivermead’s new swimming pools - a 25m 8 lane competition pool and a teaching & diving pool, alongside splash pad for younger users - will open in summer 2024.

Over at South Reading Leisure Centre, work to completely refurbish the existing swimming pool will begin from the first week in September. To enable the work, the pool will be closed for six months, reopening in the new year. These works have been scheduled after the works to the Rivermead demountable to give South Reading centre users the option of swimming at Rivermead as well as at Meadway and the new community pool at Palmer Park.

GLL, who run Reading’s leisure facilities on behalf of the Council, will be in contact with all centre users to ensure they are aware in good time of any changes to swimming sessions. 

Cllr Adele Barnett-Ward, Lead Councillor for Leisure and Culture, said:

“Our £40 million investment in modern leisure facilities across the town includes delivering fantastic new pools and improvements to our existing swimming facilities to ensure everyone across Reading has access to good quality, accessible swimming facilities.  

“There has, rightly, been a focus on the new leisure facilities we’ve delivered at the newly opened Palmer Park leisure centre and community pool, and that we are delivering at Rivermead – which opens on the 17 July followed by the new pools in summer 2024, but our continued improvements to Meadway Sports Centre and South Reading Leisure Centres are just as important. The council’s investment in these popular centres demonstrates our commitment to providing high-quality leisure facilities throughout the borough.

“There will inevitably be some disruption as work takes place at each location and I would like to thank everyone for your patience whilst we make these vital improvements – it will certainly be worth it once the work is complete. We will keep you updated on the progress and invite you to help us celebrate once the new facilities reopen at each of our centres.”

Craig Woodward, GLL’s Partnership Manager said: “GLL, alongside our partners at Reading Borough Council, are all working at pace together to bring forward these major improvements to Reading’s swimming pools, and new state-of-the-art leisure facilities, that will be the envy of the Thames Valley.

“The benefits these updated facilities will offer the local community are invaluable.  The pandemic has highlighted the importance of keeping physically active and maintaining a healthy weight – and swimming we know is particularly beneficial for everyone.

“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.”

For regular updates on the leisure project visit https://www.better.org.uk/new-reading-leisure or follow the Council on social media @ReadingCouncil Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or GLL at @Better_Reading

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