Swimmers, climbers, basketball players, parents and anyone else who uses the Brixton Rec will get the chance to share what they think should be improved at the leisure centre at a workshop this month.The Rec is part of the ‘masterplan’ for the future of Brixton which means it will be included in future ‘regeneration’ projects.
An invasive survey is currently being carried out on the building to identify the structure of the building and identify what work needs to be done. The results of this will be delivered in April and suggestions for changes to the building will start from there.
The Brixton Rec Users Group has organised an event on Saturday February 8 from 2-4pm to collate opinions on what should be done to make the centre serve the community better.
It is also, the organisers say, a chance for clubs and other regulars to the leisure centre to get to know each other. There will be tea and cake, as well as activities for children.
In previous versions of the Supplementary Planning Document, which puts the ‘masterplan’ into action, it was suggested that the Recreation Centre could be demolished to make way for flats and a smaller leisure centre. However, after an angry public meeting in 2012, it will now be “retained and refurbished”.
The Users Group now meet with GLL, who manage the Rec, and the council every three months to feedback any complaints and find out about future plans.
The sports hall will reopen with a new floor and bleachers on January 31. A new energy zone will also open in February and the gym will be redesigned with new equipment in May. There are also hopes to redevelop the cafe area, attract a swimming club to the rec, lay new squash court floors and reorganise the reception area.
Well I think personally that the Rec is a treasure. The architecture internally is a marvel, the way you can look down at the huge space below while working out in a hugely spacious gym facility. The pool is excellent, the crèche is large, the soft play area is outstanding, the squash courts excellent and quite a rare thing these days, and although I have never used it, the downstairs bowling facility looks amazing.
All of these facilities are absolutely state of the art, the gym equipment is by far the best I have seen from the dozen or so gyms I have been a member of.
So then what is wrong with the Rec? basically it comes down to the staff. They are all unhelpful and appalling, all except they lady called Charmaine I believe who, works the early shift. I have really never come across such a poorly motivated, rude ill informed, and just can’t be bothered group of people. Second, the changing facilities are good, but poorly kept and cleaned. The last round of renovations was very good, but because the cleaners are so poor, the showers that were new are now dirty and mouldy and unhygienic.
I truly believe that to lose the Rec would be a disgrace and a tragedy. The design Is quite outstanding internally. Ok, on the outside it looks like an 80’s brick block, but from the inside it is like a tardis and beautiful. The entrance needs to be made more inviting. I am sure many people do not use it because it is not welcoming from the outside, quite imposing actually.
The changing rooms need an overhaul, the cleaning staff managed or sacked, and the rest of the staff put on a performance improvement program and customer facing skills workshop, with their jobs dependent on customer feedback ratings, and again, if they do not improve they should be changed.
Other than that Brixton has a fantastic facility which, if knocked down and replaced, would be shameful, and not solve the issue with the staff or the cleanliness in any way.
Demolish it and replace with a state of the art sports centre for the community. Make a new space that is designed for the community rather than put a plaster on it. The current rec is so run down, dirty and a blot on the urban landscape.