Phased Re-opening for Crystal Palace National Sports Centre
Following a major refurbishment programme, Crystal Palace National Sports Centre will be re-opening to the public on Thursday 30th April 2009.
Initially the centre will be operating reduced opening hours, with the main building open in the afternoons (from 2.00pm) whilst further building work is completed. It is anticipated that the centre will open fully on Monday 25th May.
From this date the following facilities will be available: 50 metre pool, teaching pool, diving pool, training pool, main arena, north balcony, dance studio and multisports rooms.
Until further notice, the gym will continue to be located in the lodge, while work will continue on the dry side changing rooms and squash courts over the next two to three months.
Over the past 18 months CPNSC has benefited from the refurbishment of vital plant and pumping equipment, the replacement and renewal of lights and heating systems and other critical services including a new fire alarm system and improved CCTV.
Further details on opening hours are available at www.gll.org
Well, I have just come back from my first swim session at the pool for 18 months. I was hoping to be the first one in to try the new facilities but there were five stalworts there before me. Although there is still a lot of building work going on in the sports centre itself the ‘wet changing rooms’ are completed. They would not look out of place as a Soho Bar never mind a changing room in Crystal Palace. Work on the main pool has been completed and four of the lanes were open for swimming today. There is a new state-of-the art timing system and scoreboard along with Olympic standard starting blocks and electronic touch pads.
Swimming 50m laps again was a bit of a shock to the system!