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15 February 2006
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A £15m flagship public leisure facility in Tower Hamlets will be launched today by Sports Minister, Richard Caborn, and Paralympic basketball star, Ade Adepitan. With its state of the art facilities, Mile End Park Leisure Complex, will provide a huge boost to public sports facilities in the East End and the London Region and provide key support to the London Olympics in 2012.
Sports minister Richard Caborn shooting some hoops, watched by Tower Hamlets mayor, councillor Doros Ullah and lead member fo culture, councillor Denise Jones
Constructed in two phases, Mile End Park Leisure Complex (MEPLC) is the biggest leisure centre opening in London before the Olympic facilities become available.
Phase One, completed in May 2005, with its extensive football and athletics facilities was the location for the Chancellor's launch of England's World Cup bid for 2018 and is home to the F.A.M.E (Football at Mile End) project (2) - the borough's football development scheme.
Phase Two, opening today, includes fitness studios, a four court sports hall, health spa, a 25 metre competition pool and a 17 metre pool with adjustable floor to enable better access for people with disabilities and younger swimmers.
Paralympic basketball star and ambassador for disable sport, Ade Adepitan with local children in Tower Hamlets
Councillor Denise Jones, Tower Hamlets Cabinet Member for Environment and Culture said: "Mile End Park Leisure Complex highlights Tower Hamlets Council's long-term commitment to new and revitalised leisure facilities for everyone in our borough and those who will come here for the Olympics in 2012. As such it will be a vital legacy for both the current and future East End Community."
This £15million project represents a major investment by the Council and its partners - Sport England, the Millennium Commission, Ocean New Deals for Communities and the Football Foundation (1) in the economic regeneration of the Borough. There has, therefore, been a particular focus on the provision of job opportunities and training for our local young people. In partnership with the Council and Greenwich Leisure Limited, Ocean NDC are also offering training to young residents on the Ocean Estate enabling them to become fitness instructors, lifeguards and receptionists at MEPLC and in the Leisure Industry generally.
The Council also hopes MEPLC will help improve the community's health and tackle obesity. Cllr Jones added: "MEPLC's uniquely integrated `centre within a centre' design ? enabling certain groups to exercise and swim in complete privacy while the rest of the centre continues to operate on a mixed basis, means for the first time we can offer facilities accessible to all our residents. With diabetes and heart disease a particular issue for the local Bangladeshi community (3), and especially for women, we hope these new facilities will encourage more people to exercise."
Located less than two miles from the Olympic Village the complex has been identified as a training venue for athletics and triathlon at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games.
Sports minister, Richard Caborn said: "This impressive new leisure centre will no doubt be a real asset to the local community in the run up to 2012 and beyond. Investments like this are very important because they provide the local community with a place where people of all ages can come along, play sport and participate. Whether you have dreams of competing in an Olympic or Paralympic Games, or just simply want to keep fit ? multi sport centres like this one are vital."
Chair of Sport England, Lord Carter of Coles said: "We are delighted to have invested £5.483m of Lottery funding to support this flagship multi sport facility. Sport England is committed to driving up participation in sport to make our communities healthier and happier. Mile End is on course to become a real focal point in Tower Hamlets and we look forward to seeing it contribute to people's social well-being as well as providing a sporting pathway for young people."
Contact: Andrea da Gama, press office, Tower Hamlets Council on 0207 364 4697
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