Leisure centre requires renovation works

A leisure centre requires £100,000 in renovations, a report has revealed.

Woodford Park Leisure Centre in Reading is managed by Woodley Town Council, and features a five-court sports hall, a 3G football pitch, and an outdoor paddling pool.

A report by town clerk Kevin Murray states it requires a sizeable investment to replace its existing drainage system and fire doors.

Short-term repairs and clearance works took place earlier in the year.

The report states that a quotation for £66,000 has been received for the "replacement of the existing pitch fibre drainage system serving the leisure centre, following an extensive investigation into the condition of the drainage pipework".

"The existing pipework has exceeded its expected service life and has suffered from tree root ingress and restricted flows in several locations," it says.

"The amenities team continue to deal with regular blockages, which have an immediate impact on the day-to-day operation of the centre."

The work will involve replacing the existing pitch fibre pipework, made out of wood and coal, with modern plastic drainage pipes across all the drainage that runs between the leisure centre and the public sewer.

Work is expected to begin on the new fire doors in January, costing about £50,000.

"Additional works have been identified, with the contractor due to provide a quotation and programme for these shortly," the report adds.

"It is intended that these works will be undertaken alongside the replacement of the fire doors, with the estimated cost of approximately £10,000."

A structural survey of the building is also expected to cost £12,000, previously estimated at £4,000.

"This increase is mainly due to the requirement for specialist abseiling equipment needed to assess the sports hall," Murray writes.

The required works will be discussed at a meeting of Woodley Town Council's leisure services committee on Tuesday.

Councillors are being asked to recommend that the spending be approved by the council's strategy and resources committee at a future meeting.