Work starts on Reading leisure facility
A new 25-metre pool at Palmer Park should be ready by next year
Work is beginning on a new swimming pool in east Reading.
It's the first phase of a £40M investment in leisure facilities for the town, including delivering two brand new pools, a modern leisure centre and improvements to existing leisure facilities, by spring 2023.
From 2 August, phase 1 of the Palmer Park construction will get underway and complete by the end of September. The initial focus will be on creating the new overflow carpark / coach drop off, then moving on to removing the single-story front entrance.
During the first phase, the area of work will be surrounded by fencing for the safety of the public. The contractors working on the construction will aim to keep disruption to stadium, sports, clubs and park users to a minimum.
In phase 2, major work will begin on the construction of the new swimming pool, changes to the existing entrance and the creation of the new café and information hub space.
The new community pool and facilities will open to the public in late 2022.
At Palmer Park, in addition to the refurbishment of the existing stadium building, there will be:
A modern new 25 metre, 6-lane community pool
A 100-station gym with three studios
An activity zone for children with party rooms
A new café and information hub.
Cllr Graeme Hoskin, Reading Borough Council’s Lead Councillor for Sport, said:
“I’m really excited we are imminently beginning the building of our new pools and leisure centre. It is great news that construction will start in earnest from 2 August at Palmer Park, with Rivermead following soon after at the end of August. This will provide residents with tangible evidence of our commitment to delivering the new facilities.
“This is the start of the first phase of construction at Palmer Park and we will keep everyone updated regularly on progress with a view to keeping any disruption to park, stadium and gym users to a minimum.
“By spring 2023, Reading will boast a 25m 8-lane competition pool with dedicated diving provision at Rivermead and a brand new 25m 6-lane community pool at Palmer Park, linked to existing sports facilities – combining the benefits of a sizable pool, velodrome and athletics stadium all in one accessible location – delivering a fairly unique facility in the region and putting Reading firmly on the map as a top sports destination. We have chosen an option that achieves a good balance for Reading, for the community and for families.
Work is anticipated to start at the Rivermead site on 30 August after the Reading Festival.
The new Rivermead facilities will include:
25m 8-lane competition pool, with moveable pool floor
Splash pad for younger users
Diving pool with moveable pool floor
25m 5 lane club/swim lesson pool (demountable pool)
A café, information hub, and soft play
There will also be improvements at South Reading and Meadway leisure centres starting later this year.
For further information on the leisure project visit www.reading.gov.uk/newleisure