Sports groups worried for their future by leisure centre changes

That was the angry reaction of users this afternoon (Monday) as they attended drop-in events to view the borough council’s plans to change and enhance facilities at the town’s two leisure centres.

The council plans to make long overdue upgrades to Waterfield Leisure Centre, including an overhaul of the much-maligned changing facilities for swimmers.

But it was the intention to half the size of the MSV sports hall to make way for a new soft play centre which caused the most uproar today.

Netball players say there will not be enough room for them to safely play matches and train, while those who enjoy over 50s table tennis and badminton sessions complain that far fewer people will be able to attend sessions in future.

Dozens of netball players train there, including the Melton club, Melton Marvels and a walking netball squad for older women, and a new mixed set-up is also starting up to include men and women.

But Jenny Smith, who started Melton Netball Club 20 years ago, told the Melton Times: “If they allow this to go ahead we could lose the club.

"The sport is very popular in the town, which led us to starting up the Marvels alongside the original club.

"We won’t be able to play league matches in a smaller hall because there won’t enough space around the court to do it safely.

"There is nowhere else in Melton we can move and there are no suitable outside floodlit courts either.”

Isla Cullingworth, who has been playing for the Marvels for nine years, commented: “Netball is a growing sport and it is very popular but there will be nowhere suitable for us to play if the hall is reduced.”

More than 70 older people enjoy playing table tennis in the MSV sports hall on Wednesday and Thursday mornings, at a time when students from Birch Wood Special School also have sessions in the other part of the hall.

Sue South, one of the organisers, said: “We usually have six tables out but when they reduce the hall we will only have two or three.

"We have people aged from 50s to 80s and this is important exercise for them.”

Over 50s badminton players meet in the hall on Tuesday and Friday evenings.

Organiser, Neil Ingle, said: “We have use of four courts at present but this will drop to two.

“That means some of our group won’t be able to play.”

Some of the mums at the drop-in were surprised to learn the new soft play facility will be for youngsters aged five and over.

Nicola Campbell, who has a six-year-old, said: “Most of the children will be at school during the day so not many will be using it. It doesn’t seem to have been thought through properly.”

Council leader, Councillor Pip Allnatt, was kept busy answering questions from users at the drop-in event.

He told the Melton Times: “Overall these changes will greatly improve our leisure centres but there will be some losers.

"I have learned a lot today and we will work with groups to help them find somewhere else to meet if they have to.”