Uncertainty still surrounds the future of Altrincham Leisure Centre as a petition set up to help save all leisure centres in the borough topped 2,000 signatures.
Trafford Council is searching for a new operator to run its sports services after Trafford Community Leisure Trust, a non-profit organisation, terminated its contract.
The Trust’s decision, which includes a six-month notice period, comes after the council shaved £450,000 from its grant as part of government cutbacks.
The council’s funding cut was slammed by opposition councillors, with Labour councillor Jane Baugh labelling it “devastating”.
Below: Altrincham Leisure Centre
The Trust’s chair, Peter Martin, said it was “not in a position to find the level of capital required” to provide the required investment in some of the borough’s ageing leisure centres.
The council told us it had now entered “a period of soft market testing” as it decides its next step, a period it said would last around six months.
That leaves the future of Altrincham Leisure Centre in limbo, with no guarantee a new operator will be found with the resources to maintain and operate the facilities properly.
It also casts a shadow over the future of Altrincham Golf Course, which is also operated by the Trust. If no future operator is prepared to take it on, the course could lose its municipality and switch into private hands.
We’ve also been unsuccessful in our attempts to contact Nikal, the development company behind the Altair scheme. A brand new leisure centre is central to the £70m scheme and it’s unclear what impact the recent news could have on the plans.
Below: Altrincham Golf Course
A petition designed to raise awareness of the issue has already been signed over 2,000 times.
Altrincham resident Kevin J Parker, who set it up, said the only other public swimming pool in Altrincham town centre was at Total Fitness, where contracts start at around £50 a month.
He added: “The petition response has been incredible as everyone seems to appreciate that keeping a healthy lifestyle maintains good health which also reduces the pressures on the NHS and local GP services.
“In addition, several parents have asked where their children will learn life-saving swimming skills if the local swimming pool is closed.
“The petition was set up asking for reassurance and guarantees from Trafford Council that all leisure centres would be maintained following the loss of government subsidies, but no assurances have been made to date.”
