Health - Sports centre is fit for all

Dec 11 2006 By Sarah Judd, The Journal

Keeping Darlington's population fit and healthy is high up the council agenda, and following a multi-million pound refurbishment of the Dolphin Centre the opportunities are endless. Anastasia Weiner reports on the changes.

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Darlington Council has invested £5m in revamping the Dolphin Centre - the most significant facelift in its 23- year history. The centre, on Horsemarket, was officially opened in 1983 by legendary athlete Sir Roger Bannister.

And today it attracts more than 1.2 million visitors a year, with around 50 clubs and organisations regularly using the centre for sporting activities and meetings. Now, after months of work, the multi-million pound refurbishment of the town's flagship leisure centre is nearing completion and on course to be completed by Christmas.

The centre has been transformed into an innovative and modern leisure complex with an array of facilities designed to bring it firmly into the 21st century. Among the new features is a state-of-the-art family and disabled friendly `changing village' boasting 50 changing cubicles and 350 lockers.

The dry changing area has also been upgraded to provide a much-improved environment for people using facilities such as the newly-resurfaced sports hall and the extended Pulse 2 fitness suite.

But the refurbishment hasn't just been focused on the centre's physical appearance.

The new facilities have enabled the complex to offer a greater number of classes aimed at children and young adults, from basketball to football and swimming.

There's even a gym club called JEAP - the Junior Elite Athlete Programme - which encourages children aged up to 14 to use the gym.

Those aged 14 and over can use the facilities after having completed an induction.

The centre is also working closely with the Primary Care Trusts (PCT) on a number of physical activity and health promotion initiatives.

This scheme allows doctors and other medical practitioners to refer patients to a supervised programme of physical activity and lifestyle improvement.

Following the appointment of a lifestyle co-ordinator, a new 12-week course will be launched, complete with a greater variety of activities. Since its official re-opening, the £400,000 village has proved a hit, with more than 50,000 swimmers using it between August and November.

Neither have the needs of parents been ignored, with the creation of a new soft play area bringing an array of activities for youngsters to enjoy.

With an `Under The Sea' theme, the area - which will be open all week and supervised by nursery staff - has been split into four areas and spread over several levels.

Each of the new sections - main adventure play, toddlers' soft play and structure, penalty shoot-out and sensory and chill-out - has a variety of activities suitable for children of all ages.

There is also a crèche open Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 11.30am, and casual soft play is available Monday to Sunday, 10am to 6pm.

Parents will be delighted to hear that the area has its own buggy park and specialist changing facilities. Children's parties can also be catered for.

Other non-fitness specific changes include a ground-floor continental café and bar, and a new box office where Civic Theatre and Arts Centre tickets can be bought.

Darlington's Register Office is also operating from the centre after making the move from Gladstone Street.

An impressive ceremony room is available for bookings for a host of events, from weddings and civil partnership services to christenings and naming ceremonies.

Lee Vasey, Darlington Council's Cabinet Member for Leisure Services, said: "The Dolphin Centre is one of the council's best-used facilities, so it was important to get this refurbishment absolutely right.

"I think we have achieved that and more. The new facilities are fantastic and I am sure the centre is now in a great position to go from strength to strength in the future."