Whitchurch Swimming and Fitness Centre welcomed its first customers this morning (Wednesday 19 March 2025), after opening ahead of schedule and on budget.
Getting ready for the big opening yesterday.
Work to build this state-of-the-art centre by contractors, Pellikaan Construction Limited started just 12 months ago, and impressively, this has also included the demolition of the previous centre.
Peter Gilbertson, Shropshire Council’s project manager responsible for the build said:
“This really is a fantastic new centre with excellent facilities and unsurprisingly we’ve been inundated with membership and children’s swimming lesson requests.”
The centre boasts a range of top-quality facilities including a six-lane 25m pool, accessible changing rooms, a 41-station fitness suite and multi-function rooms.
The gym at the new centre.
Every aspect of the centre has been cleverly designed and carefully considered. The colours used inside were specifically chosen reflect the local countryside in North Shropshire but also make it easier for partially-sighted people to distinguish the different areas. The changing village cubicles provide a safer changing experience with direct supervision from poolside.
The swimming pool also has a moveable floor which allows the pool depth to be varied to accommodate different uses, a pool pod for wheelchair access and easy access steps to ensure everyone can benefit from using the new pool.
Peter added:
“Despite taking so little time for a project of this size, the build quality is exceptional, and the range of facilities on offer cater to everyone.”
The new centre has also given a much-needed boost to the area with the creation of 25 jobs and offering new opportunities for local businesses. Additionally, five local primary schools will benefit from the centre, providing essential swimming lessons and promoting physical activity among young students.
The centre is being managed by the Shropshire Community Leisure Trust and Serco, who also operate several other leisure centres on behalf of Shropshire Council.
Rhys Collins, Contract Manager for Shropshire Community Leisure Trust (SCLT) said:
“Working in partnership with Serco, SCLT is very proud to have been chosen by Shropshire Council to operate this impressive, new centre, which has been designed with the health and wellbeing needs of this community in mind.”
To find out more, people can visit the centre’s website here: Welcome | Whitchurch Swimming & Fitness Centre
