Winchester Fit for the Future

1. Winchester Fit for the Future Outline of Community Proposals May 2014

2. What’s the problem? • Winchester’s sports provision patchy, fragmented. Local facilities for training and competition are inadequate, for swimming and other popular sports – e.g netball, football, gymnastics. • River Park Leisure Centre is showing its age; energy inefficient, large carbon footprint. Council figures suggest capital investment of £6m+ needed for repairs and refurbishment, for centre to last another c.10 years. • A new sports and leisure centre would be a better investment – this would expand sports participation, support health and well-being, and develop local talent.

3. Winchester Fit for the Future • Group of sports stakeholders from Winchester and surrounding area • Working to improve sports provision – specifically the development of sustainable and accessible community sports facilities • Co-ordinated by volunteer campaign director, and proposal development group: Winchester City Penguins Swimming Club, Winchester and District Athletics Club, University of Winchester – broader network of c.20 other clubs and groups • Drawing on pro bono expertise, including from NGBs (ASA and others), University of Winchester, Studio Four Architects, MITIE, Synergy QS

4. Sports centre proposal • Based on research about local needs, supply and demand, longer-term potential – and lessons and good practice from UK and beyond • Facility mix similar to K2 Crawley • Cutting edge technologies, built to last – spend more now to save money later • Partnership approach to funding, design and build – WCC, HCC, University, clubs • Local social enterprise or similar community oriented operating model • Bar End identified as best location

5. A community sports and leisure centre that is… • Flexible – maximising use by enabling a wide range of activities, in a compact and well-designed facility • Accessible – serving all customers, whatever their needs or goals • Sustainable – minimising running costs and any negative social or environmental impacts • A community focal point – offering opportunities for play, training, competition, events

6. AquaZone • 50m by 8 lane main pool • Movable floor and boom(s), to partition the pool and vary its depth • Enabling simultaneous use by different groups engaged in different activities • Able to support competition in swimming, water polo and more (NB a ‘regional specification’ ≠ a ‘regional facility’!) • Spectator seating • Small warm pool(s) for babies, toddlers, hyrdrotherapy and supported activity for users with disabilities

8. GymZone • Sprung and matted floor • Appropriately equipped to support gymnastics and trampolining; some forms of dance, martial arts, yoga etc • Could also incorporate movable soft play equipment and ball pits, climbing and bouldering walls

10. CourtZone • Designed to support inter-county and national league competition in e.g. basketball, netball and volleyball (size of 3 netball courts) • Indoor training for e.g. athletics, cricket, football • Pull-down bleacher seating

12. HealthZone • A fitness centre – i.e. a gym, dance studio, and squash/racket courts (with movable walls) • A physiotherapist station, sports science laboratory, and associated health and well-being support • Could be expanded to provide broader health services to meet local needs

13. Other facilities • Café and/or sports bar – with pool tables and/or other leisure options? • Spectator seating for athletics track, with running strip in undercroft • Office space – including for local clubs • Teaching / meeting space

14. Sustainability • Energy efficient, super-insulated • Energy generation on-site – e.g. photovoltaic cells on roof, ground source heat pump • CHP, linked to district energy scheme • Solar thermal hot water • Rainwater harvesting, re-use of waste water • UV treatment for pool water – dramatic reduction in chlorine levels • Minimising running and lifecycle costs

15. Accessibility • Designed to support all age groups and levels of mobility / ability • Affordable provision • Located within easy reach of city centre but also accessible to those coming from outside • Cycle paths, safe walking routes • Easy to reach by car from M3 and other major routes • Good bus links, including to train station • Bar End offers all this, as well as synergy with existing sports facilities – e.g. athletics track, pitches

17. What’s happening now? • WCC feasibility study and options appraisal published May 2013 – weak in many areas, not a reliable business case • WCC Leader signalled ‘preferred option’ to Cabinet June 2013 • WCC officers developed proposal; presented this and Savills planning report to Cabinet and Overview & Scrutiny Committee September 2013 • Public meeting end September… • Ears now open to our proposals? • We’re now developing detailed business case: • Capital costs for 3 core components (pool, gymnastics, courts) • Capital estimates for whole centre - Synergy QS • Detailed programming for 3 core components - use to develop revenue projections • Running costs - for pool and for whole centre • Continuing our research and consultation • Pressing for multi-stakeholder meeting to discuss evidence and options, build partnership

18. Want to get involved? • See proposals and site plans at www.fit4thefuture.org • Follow us on Twitter @WinchesterFit, WFF Facebook page • You can still sign the online petition if you wish • What are the opportunities for your neighbourhood, our city and our district? You might want to talk to your councillors and other community leaders about your ideas, suggestions, concerns. • Contact WFF info@fit4thefuture.org • Sign up for future email updates