27/03/2024
Our struggle for success
Friday 2 December 2016 was a dark day in the history of Creswell as the Leisure Centre (Duke Street Leisure Centre) closed its doors for the last time.
A popular facility in the community providing hours of enjoyment for people and saw thousands of children learn how to swim.
However, due to its age, the deterioration of the building and the cost of the repairs needed, a decision was made to close it by Bolsover District Council, a decision that was not supported by your local Elmton-with-Creswell district or parish councillors.
When the closure was announced, public meetings were held to see what you, our local community wanted. You overwhelmingly said you wanted a leisure facility in the village.
We looked at options to transform the building by removing the pool and adding extra activities, but the costs were prohibitive.
Councillor Duncan McGregor, assisted by his fellow district and parish councillors set about securing funding for a new leisure facility. From the outset the whole aim of the centre was to provide the local community with somewhere to go, exercise, keep fit, meet and socialise.
It would be for the community and managed by the community.
After years of meetings and discussions money was secured from Big Local and various outside bodies with possible further funding being sought to build a brand new, top class centre.
The centre would not only offer leisure activities but provide an educational resource and link back to Creswell’s history.
However, Covid then hit, meaning that building work had to be delayed. This delay was just the start of the problems as the world saw the cost of materials sky rocket, pushing up the cost of the build to over £3million.
Not to be deterred, the Parish Council agreed to borrow funding from the Public Loans Board (£2million) to help realise their ambition and work started in earnest in March 2022. Unfortunately, in September 2022, disaster struck again as the contractor building the new facility went into administration.
A meeting was arranged by the Parish Council requesting assistance from Bolsover District Council through the Dragonfly Department Ltd company who took over the build process on behalf of the Parish Council. In April 2023, the brand new Creswell Heritage and Wellbeing Centre was officially opened, marking six and half years Creswell had been without a leisure facility.
Councillor Duncan McGregor, Chair of Elmton with Creswell Parish Council said, “Our local community made it quite clear that they wanted a new leisure facility, so that’s what we set about trying to achieve and that is what we have today.
“We have all worked tirelessly and done everything within our power to make Creswell Heritage and Wellbeing Centre a reality and the first twelve months have been a great success.
The centre boasts first class equipment, a wide range of activities and is proving popular within the local community. The aim now is to build on its success and attract more people and groups to utilise its facilities, making it the hub of the community.
Like any building of this nature, it takes time. Time to build up a customer base. Time to develop activities. And time to make money.
Whilst the cost of the building has been taken care of, staff need their wages, utility bills need paying and new equipment needs to be purchased so we can continue to offer activities people want to participate in.
To help offset these revenue costs, the Parish Council is subsidising the centre through its portion of the council tax. A necessity if we want to keep the centre and build upon its initial success.
All along we wanted the facility to be ‘community managed’ and within the past few weeks charitable status has been approved, meaning we can now develop a board of trustees that will help manage and oversee the building.
If you, or you know someone, who has experience in leisure, finance management or any other area that would benefit the centre, expressions of interest to be considered for membership of the new Community Board, or would like to volunteer, then please get in touch with Elmton-with-Creswell Parish Council on 01909 723525/721558/724390 or email [email protected]
Closing date for membership of the board by the end of April 2024.
