Derelict site is now a sporting winner

What was once a derelict strip of land under a West London flyover has been transformed into an award-winning sports centre.

The expanded Westway Sports Centre under the A40 was opened in November 2001 and a year later it was chosen for Time Out’s award for the most community aware faclity.

The project cost £10m - £8.3m of which came from Lottery funding through Sport England – and included the provision of five artificial floodlit pitches, the UK’s largest climbing wall, 12 tennis courts both indoor and outdoor, handball fives courts, a gym, netball and basketball facilities and a café and a bar.

The superb facility now provides a multi sport environment giving opportunities to the community and local residents to develop their sporting talent and have fun while being active.

The results are impressive with four of Westway’s 600 young tennis players now ranked in the top ten juniors in the country while three young climbers have also made it into the British climbing team.

To encourage participation by all, reduced prices are available to individuals with disabilities, those receiving benefits, the over 60’s and full-time students.

Westway Sports Centre factfile

• Over 400,000 people went to Westway last year including 31,000 community members helping Sport England towards its target of increasing participation by 1% a year up to 2020
• 98,000 visited the climbing facilities last year including 200 juniors each week - 3 junior members are in the British climbing team
• 600 children receive tennis coaching each week
• 140 football teams play on the artificial pitches every week
• 250 people a week play handball fives

To find out more about the Everyday Sport campaign, for activities taking place in your area and simple tips on how to get active, log onto www.everydaysport.com or call the Everyday Sport hotline: 0800 587 6000 .

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