Newcastle’s Elswick Pool has reopened with a splash! The pool's £1 million renovation, including a new gym, reception and changing village, was officially opened by Lord Mayor Mike Cookson and Lady Mayoress Dorrie Cookson.

 

Funded by Newcastle City Council, Centre West and the Arts and Culture Trust, the year-long project is the biggest redevelopment since the pool opened on the site of the former Elswick Hall in 1981.

 

New facilities include a state-of-the-art Impulse Fitness suite, with the latest equipment from treadmills and cross trainers to exercise bikes and rowing machines. Meanwhile, a new extension has created studio space for circuit training, spin classes, aerobics and other sessions.

 

“The new gym facilities will be a fantastic resource for people in the West End," said Councillor Pauline Allen, Newcastle City Council's Executive Member for Culture, Leisure and Customer Service. "We’re also able to offer free swimming in public sessions for under-18s and over-60s for the first time.

 

“The pool is much more bright, roomy and welcoming, but we’ve also taken the chance to rethink how the whole building works,” she added. “That means improved security, more privacy and better planning of the changing areas.”

 

Complete refurbishment of the changing village has created new facilities for schools and families, as well as making the pool much more accessible for disabled people. A new level-access front door, a low-level reception counter and new equipment in the accessible changing area are designed to help disabled residents enjoy a healthy lifestyle.

 

The changes, which follow the £700,000 refurbishment of Elswick Park, are the latest in a string of projects bringing improvements to the West End. Work is now well underway on the £31 million first phase of the regeneration of Riverside Dene (formerly Cruddas Park), while the nearby Stephenson Building has also been upgraded with help from Centre West.