DETAILS of a £5.7 million Lottery bid to take the Thompson Recreation Centre at Burnley into the next millennium have been unveiled.

The scheme is more than £2 million more than the original estimate, partly due to major maintenance work which would, in any event, have to be carried out over the next ten years.

Council officials are at pains to stress that the building is safe and is open to business as usual.

If the bid is successful, work will start in March, 1999, after which there will be phased closures over 17 months.

The centre, built in 1974, is the largest sports facility in Lancashire with three pools, two four court sports halls, two practice halls, five squash courts, a health suite, fitness rooms, creche and associated facilities attracting just short of half a million users a year.

Recent surveys revealed that £1 million - £1.5 million is needed over the next ten years to make good design flaws and to bring the building services up to date. To get the Lottery grant Burnley Council has to show that it will be accessible to all.

The bid has the backing of disabled and ethnic minority groups, local sporting organisations, schools, doctors and the Health Trust.

The scheme includes a new entrance, new pool changing, converting the diving pool to multi-use, larger fitness room and dedicated gymnastics training centre.

Ground floor changing rooms will be converted to a changing village for the main swimming pools with the 33.5 metre pool being shortened to 25 creating an additional learner pool.

The diving pool will be fitted with a moveable floor so it can be used for a wider range of activities with separate changing rooms for extra privacy.

The health suite will be relocated and linked to the multipurpose pool offering activities targeted at GP referrals.

The sports hall and practice hall will be refurbished with a dedicated gymnastics training centre.

Updating of equipment is expected to create annual savings of over £100,000.

Head of leisure services, Andy Varnom, said that regardless of the success of the bid around £1 million needed to be spent on maintenance over a ten year period.

He stressed the building was safe and fully operational.

If the bid succeeds Burnley Council will have to find matching funding of £570,000.

Ninety local businesses have been asked for sponsorship.

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