Anyone know when the Rec's going to re-open?

[aurora green]

Everyone in my house is really missing the rec, and can't wait for it to re-open.
Anyone know anything?

[gaijingirl]

According to the Lambeth site (http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/Services/LeisureCulture/SportsClubsCentres/LeisureCentres/BrixtonRecreationCentre.htm)....

The Rec will be open from 9 July onwards between the hours of 9am-5pm seven days a week with the swimming pools and crèche on offer for use by visitors. Other facilities such as gym, squash, football and exercise studios will become available for use from 18 July onwards between the hours of 7am-10.30pm Monday to Friday and 8am-8pm on Saturday and Sunday.

A grand Open Day will be held on Saturday 28 July between 8am-8pm. During the day children and families will be able to enjoy free taster sessions with new equipment and find out more about the phased refurbishment of the centre.

A full programme of activities will be available from 18 July onwards. Representatives from Greenwich Leisure Limited will be visiting Lambeth schools demonstrating the types of activities that will be available from that time.

Members will be being written to by Greenwich Leisure Limited regarding the availability of different activities.

Q&As are here. (http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/Services/LeisureCulture/SportsClubsCentres/LeisureCentres/BrixtonRecreationCentre_EXTRA.htm)

(To be fair.. if they've done all they said they were going to do it should be great - let's just hope the prices don't go up too much!)

[aurora green]

Ooops apologies for this thread then. Should have gone to the Lambeth site myself.

[gaijingirl]

Ooops apologies for this thread then. Should have gone to the Lambeth site myself.

no - don't apologise... it was a timely question - loads of people I have been talking to have been wondering the same thing - I never thought to look until you posted here. :)

[Skim]

Is there a kids' pool at the Rec?

[gaijingirl]

Yes. :)

[Skim]

Brilliant... I've bought swimming nappies already :D

eta: not for myself though

[aurora green]

Is there a kids' pool at the Rec?


The kids pool at Brixton rec, is the best one I've ever been to. It's really big and has a few wide steps down into it, so nervous little ones can just play at ankle depth, and then gradually go deeper as they gain confidence. It really is lovley. We've missed it so much this rainy summer.

[gaijingirl]

Brilliant... I've bought swimming nappies already :D

eta: not for myself though

There's a really lovely little kids pool at Tooting Lido too - right next to a big bit of green where you can have picnics etc - loads of families with little babes... it's a shame there's not something similar at Brockwell.

[Skim]

There's a really lovely little kids pool at Tooting Lido too - right next to a big bit of green where you can have picnics etc - loads of families with little babes... it's a shame there's not something similar at Brockwell.

There's a paddling pool in Ruskin Park, but it's so damn cold this week :(

[Winot]

There's a really lovely little kids pool at Tooting Lido too - right next to a big bit of green where you can have picnics etc - loads of families with little babes... it's a shame there's not something similar at Brockwell.

Apparently there is a possibility that children may be allowed in the new hypnotherapy pool in the Lido (any lobbying from BLUG welcomed Gaijingirl).

[Ms T]

I can't wait for the Rec to reopen as well.

[Ms Ordinary]

The kids pool at Brixton rec, is the best one I've ever been to. It's really big and has a few wide steps down into it, so nervous little ones can just play at ankle depth, and then gradually go deeper as they gain confidence. It really is lovley. We've missed it so much this rainy summer.

it's also (often) as warm as a lovely warm bath :cool:
sometimes it even has steam rising off the top (whent he air is chilly).

I think the big pool is a bit too warm for some people, but its lovely for the baby pool to be so warm when you're stuck in it & can't swim fast enought o keep warm.

[hayduke]

I can't wait for the Rec to reopen as well.

Me neither. Missing my morning fix. St George's Pool in Wapping is so goddamn deep there are waves. And judging by some of the debris at the bottom, it's never been cleaned...

Roll on July 18

[gaijingirl]

Roll on July 18

The pool's open from the 9th!!! :)

[aurora green]

I wonder if our leisure cards will still be valid?

[gaijingirl]

I wonder if our leisure cards will still be valid?

I think they are - they're bringing in those new REAL cards, but I called them when they closed it down in April and had my leisure card suspended for the duration of the refurb. They said it would be reinstated afterwards - whether they'll let it be used in its current form - to be renewed under the new system later on, or just change it over now, I don't think we will have to pay any more until we've used up whatever time was left on them.

"Lambeth will shortly be issuing a brand new leisure card called the REAL card. This will give holders 25% discount at peak times and 50% discount at off peak times." - Isn't that what the leisure card does anyway?

[Tricky Skills]

Apologies for HUGE C&P from Brixton Rec Users.

My comment: I don't think the situation is that rosy. We were promised a July 1st complete re-opening. I'm not quibbling over a couple of weeks or so, but it seems to me that the only partial re-opening is to try and cover up all the stuff that not yet been done.

A 9-5 swim is of no use to work people. The gym sounds rather empty on resources. The climbing wall is being pulled down. The Gents will be getting changed in the Ladies. The saunas will be mixed, despite strong concerns back in April. And there is a strictly NO PARTIES policy. No more Uni of Dub then :(

I've grown to quite like Clap'ham in recent months, if for nothing else, the managable pool temperature.

Anyway, like I a give a shit - Lido Days are almost upon us :D

Here's the big C&P

********
BRIXTON REC USER GROUP : REOPENING OF BRIXTON REC.

Greenwich Leisure (GLL) and Lambeth Council confirmed the following arrangements for the reopening of Brixton Rec when we met them on 27th June.

The reopening is going to be phased as a lot of the work is yet to be done and GLL want to establish the most effective flows of users through the new entrance.

Swimming Pool – open from Monday 9th July, Mon-Fri 9am to 5pm.
from Monday 23rd, the hours will be ‘a bit longer’ and it will be open Sats & Suns.
The change rooms and the sauna & steam room will not be completed until late October. Meanwhile temporary change rooms with full facilities will be in the main women’s change room.

The sauna and steam rooms will normally be mixed use, not separate men and women as we had thought had been agreed. The User group continues to object to this. There will be women only sessions.
Crèche – from Monday 9th July, same hours as the pool.
Level 2 3G football – from 16th July.
‘Religious groups’ will be using the same level 2 small hall, from 16th July.
Sports Hall Level 5 will be used by clubs from Friday 13th July from 9am to 9pm Mon-Fri and to 6pm weekends. GLL promises this is a much better quality hall. The first booking is the basketball club.
From Mon 23rd July this Hall will be open normal full hours 7am to 10pm Mon-Fri and 8am-8pm weekends.
Children’s Soft play area level 3 – open from Monday 23rd July
Exercise classes will resume as soon as possible from 23rd July, subject to teachers etc being arranged.
Gym & Studio 1. There will be a temporary gym of about 30 stations from Sat 21st July 9am – 6pm, and from Monday 23rd July this will open full hours. Full-reequipped gym does not reopen until October.
Catering. No caterer has yet been contracted, despite talking to several including Barbara who was the caterer. Vending machines only until further notice.
Bowling – reopens Monday 23rd July, but the Club says the covering of the greens is unsatisfactory especially after the dust from the building work was allowed to impregnate it.

Climbing wall – Lambeth Council has now engaged a contractor to remove and rebuild this to meet new specifications. It does not yet have a work programme but is working with Brixton Climbers on this.
Free weights – GLL and the Council have decided to form a separate free weights club, which will be in the Rec basement but with a separate entrance and will organise its own activities. The Council will ‘ sit down with the free weights users’ to determine their requirements. All gym members will be informed by letter of this. It probably will not open until January 2008. There will be limited free weights in the gym meantime.

Social Events. The Council has only contracted GLL to run a sports leisure centre from 7am to 10pm. All dancing and social events held at the Rec previously will only be held at the GLL’s discretion. GLL will not agree to the University of Dub/Aba-Shalti sound system dances continuing. GLL will not agree any social events, including wedding & children’s birthday parties in normal opening hours, as a matter of course but will only consider each one by one. The User group expressed its dissatisfaction with this restriction on community use of the centre for recreation compared to previously and think we should continue to pursue this.

PRICES

The Council has decided NOT TO IMPLEMENT ITS PROPOSED 23% PRICE INCREASES.

Most prices will increase by the rate of inflation – 4.5%. For example, full membership on direct debit will cost £36.95 per month (previously £35). The casual user gym rate will go up by more, to £6. Leisure Card reductions will continue but be worth less: 25% off in peak times (was one-third) and 50% off in off peak times (was two-thirds).

GLL proposed that direct debit members would have to resume payments within a week of the reopening (i.e. mid July). We objected because many members will not have had the opportunity to make an informed decision by seeing what they will get for their money; that they had been promised a month’s grace when the centre reopened; and finally they will not be able to use the full facilities – e.g. limited gym, uncertain classes and no sauna, until late October. GLL and the Council are now reconsidering this

COMMUNICATIONS

GLL/Lambeth Council will be writing in detail about all the above to those people they have on their not perfect membership lists within the next few weeks.
They say there will be a weekly update on the Lambeth Council website and notices in the local
newspapers.

GLL has in principle agreed our request to hold an open all user forum meeting when the Rec is reopened, probably in early September

OPEN DAY 28TH JULY
Everyone will have the opportunity to look over the building and have tasters on some of the new equipment, and speak to the managers and staff, at the Open day on 28th July 8am-8pm.

The User group does not have any more details about the reopening, so we cannot assist on this. However please let us know if there are matters you want the group to pursue, or if you would like to take a more active part in it.

[gaijingirl]

Wow - thank for that TS! No shit it doesn't look so good. It's really sad about the no parties - even extended to weddings etc being closely controlled.... :( not to mention all the other things being backtracked on. :mad:

[Ms T]

Back in March the fitness instructors were saying that there was no guarantee they'd be back in July because they would have to take on other work while the rec was closed. It looks to me like they haven't a clue who will be coming back to their regular classes. I hope Clara the fab pilates teacher is one of them.

And why isn't Barbara being given her job back? I love Barbara. :mad:

All looks a bit pants, to be honest. :(

[Tricky Skills]

A friend of mine use to teach a fitness class at the Rec. He was invited to attend a day (unpaid) a few weeks back, being inducted about the GLL way of working.

After an entire day of health and safety shit, he was then told that GLL had decided not to renew the licence for his particular class.

What was the point of all of that?

It seems that the fears of the Rec Users groups back in March were indeed well founded. No consultation had led to a mixed bag of facilities. The fist pumping from the Lambeth knobbers ('we WILL open on July 1st') has come to haunt them with this compromise agreement.

Not impressed.

Plus why do I need a membership card with GLL for my swim, a membership card with the Fusion 'Leisure Lifestyle' knobbers for use of the lovely Lido and a separate Lambeth Leisure Card for one off visits to the gym etc?

Three cards, one council, shit facilities.

[Gixxer1000]

it's also (often) as warm as a lovely warm bath :cool:
sometimes it even has steam rising off the top


Yeah, guess why:eek:

[Dubversion]

GLL will not agree to the University of Dub/Aba-Shalti sound system dances continuing.


fuckers :mad:

[academia]

Apparently there is a possibility that children may be allowed in the new hypnotherapy pool in the Lido

In the WHAT?!

[editor]

In the WHAT?!Fucked if I know.

[Winot]

In the WHAT?!

Yeah apparently those scared of water can now be taught to swim by Paul McKenna or something.

[Ms T]

I am most dischuffed to learn that Greenwich Leisure Management has taken £35 from my account this month - even though the leisure centre isn't open yet, and there won't be any classes until the end of the month (maybe). They promised us a month's free membership as well. :mad:

[Tricky Skills]

A little more about the *cough* grand re-opening over HERE (http://www.onionbagblog.com).

[gaijingirl]

That's brilliantly written. And has made me feel very pissed off. :mad:

But I hadn't realised that GLL were in charge of London Fields - I had thought how similar the new changing rooms at Brockwell were to the ones in London Fields (in the sense that they would be too small for the inhabitants of my flat - never mind an entire borough.. :mad: ) - and now I know why!

[Ol Nick]

Yeah apparently those scared of water can now be taught to swim by Paul McKenna or something.
The crazy thing is that I'm actually scared of hypnotherapy pools.

[lang rabbie]

But I hadn't realised that GLL were in charge of London Fields - I had thought how similar the new changing rooms at Brockwell were to the ones in London Fields ... - and now I know why!

But surely Brockwell is run by Fusion not GLL. :confused:

It just seems to be a widespread failure of architects employed to design pools that they aren't capable of designing robust basic facilities. The new (two years old) changing rooms/showers at Tooting are already slum like because they were more concerned about making the buildings circular rather than thinking about a practical layout for drains.

[gaijingirl]

But surely Brockwell is run by Fusion not GLL. :confused:

It just seems to be a widespread failure of architects employed to design pools that they aren't capable of designing robust basic facilities. The new (two years old) changing rooms/showers at Tooting are already slum like because they were more concerned about making the buildings circular rather than thinking about a practical layout for drains.

Yes you're right of course - I've been running around that many swimming pools recently I'm getting confused about which complaint form I've sent to who!.. etc etc..:D Maybe Fusion use the same architects as GLL because the changing rooms in Brockwell are very similar to those at London Fields.

The ladies' in Tooting is fine - at least there's more than 3 showers and you don't risk cracking your neck on the floor - there's infinitely more room there than at either Brockwell or London Fields!! Certainly whenever I've been there they've been ok. I've only been the once when it was busy though.

I get your point about the drainage too - the ladies' changing rooms at the ULU pool is closing down for over a month while they sort them out - don't know if it's the drainage or something else, but those showers seem to flood regularly. :(

[Tricky Skills]

Seconded about the Tooting gents. Sure, they look nice, but they aren't exactly practical. The toilets are pretty disgusting as well.

I've yet to experience the new Brockwell set up, but the old style certainly worked. But it's all about space, isn't it?

Space for those Lido essetials such as treadmills :rolleyes:

[brixtonclimber]

[QUOTE=Tricky Skills]
Climbing wall – Lambeth Council has now engaged a contractor to remove and rebuild this to meet new specifications. It does not yet have a work programme but is working with Brixton Climbers on this.
dear tricky.
Could you tell me more about what have been said about the wall?, some of us dont actualy want the wall to be put down. Im surprise by this news, as at the last meeting the council asked us not to reveal any info regarding the futur of the wall.
thanks.
brixton climber

[gaijingirl]

Well I just had a letter from Gary Starkey, General Manager, Brixton Rec. you'll prolly get the same letter.

If all the promises of new equipment, new saunas, football pitches etc etc - and there are a LOT of promises - come true, eventually it should be nice.

I say eventually because it elaborates on the reopening.

As said in this thread before it's a "soft opening" from 9 July - swimming pool (9-5 Mon-Sun) and creche (9-5 mon-fri) and then a temporary gym and group exercise programme from Mon 18 July until 9pm.

A slightly worrying line is "during the next three months the comprehensive, exciting and innovative redevelopment of the health and fitness provision on levels 5+6 will be progressed at full speed for full availability before the end the year". Apparently they're spending £1million on it.

So potentially lots of nice stuff - but also potentially not back to full working order before 2008.

There's also a lot going on with the free weights room which may become independently run by the people who use it... they're consulting on that it seems.

Updates on www.gll.org

[Tricky Skills]

Nothing to add on the climbing wall situation I'm afraid. I posted all that I know, a C&P from a Brixton Rec Users mail.

Intruiged as to why the Council knobbers wanted to silence you? :eek:

[bingiman]

I am really pissed off about no more University of Dub at the Rec.

[Dubversion]

I am really pissed off about no more University of Dub at the Rec.


innit. Nowhere else will have the same excellent - if slightly bizarre - vibe.
:(

[Ms T]

I went and had a look around the new improved Rec yesterday - and it seems the only work that has been completed is new security on the entrance. :( There's now a separate entrance and exit, and there are fancy new electronic barriers you have to go through before you get to reception, where there are - guess what - more barriers.

Other than that, it's pretty much the same/worse than before. They seem to have got rid of the cafe (RIP Barbara), and the gym bit is now confined to one level, with not many weight machines to speak of. Apparently, it won't be finished until the New Year. :mad:

Plus there aren't that many classes yet, because they haven't managed to recruit enough instructors. All in all, a bit pants. :rolleyes:

[lang rabbie]

I was about to post asking if anyone had braved the temporary changing and/or had the foggiest what the current swimming programme is.:confused:

There is nothing on Lambeth Council's own leisure pages, and the obvious links on Greenwich Leisure's own website haven't worked for any of their centres for at least the last four months.:mad:

However under the innocuous heading "Brixton Recreation Centre Guide", I've just stumbled across a new document published on 29 October

Programme information October 2007 - March 2008 (http://www.gll.org/centrenews.asp?id=303)

After four attempts, I eventually managed to download the 4MB pdf. From the title, I'm assuming this means that the gym is out of action until next April.

For those without broadband/patience, here is the main pool timetable on one page.


Brixton Recreation Centre
Swimming Programme – Main Pool
Monday
7am-9am Fitness Swim
9am-3pm Schools & General Swim
3pm-4pm General Swim
4pm-6pm London Swim School & General Swim
6pm-7pm General Swim
7pm-9pm London Swim School & General Swim
9pm-10pm Fitness Swim

Tuesday
7am-9am Fitness Swim
9am-3pm Schools & General Swim
3pm-4pm General Swim
4pm-6pm London Swim School & General Swim
6pm-7pm General Swim
7pm-9pm London Swim School & General Swim
9pm-10pm Fitness Swim

Wednesday
7am-9am Fitness Swim
9am-3pm Schools & General Swim
3pm-9pm General Swim
9pm-10pm Fitness Swim

Thursday
7am-9am Fitness Swim
9am-3pm Schools & General Swim
3pm-4pm General Swim
4pm-6pm London Swim School & General Swim
6pm-7pm General Swim
7pm-8pm Aqua Aerobics & General Swim
8pm-10pm Fitness Swim

Friday
7am-9am Fitness Swim
9am-3pm Schools & General Swim
12noon-1pm 55+Club Swim
3pm-4pm General Swim
4pm-6pm London Swim School & General Swim
6pm-8.30pm Women Only Swim
8.30pm-10pm London Swim School & Fitness Swim

Saturday
8am-9am Fitness Swim
9am-11am London Swim School & General Swim
11am-8pm General Swim

Sunday
8am-9am Fitness Swim
9am-8pm General Swim

[aurora green]

I've been taking my little lad swimming every Sat morning for the last couple of months, and yes the changing rooms are grim at the mo.
BUT everytime we get in the pool I feel happy that we've been able to keep this place, for it is such a lovely swimming pool.
Can't wait for the new changing rooms, but they do seem to be taking forever.

[Tricky Skills]

Still no showers in the temporary Gents. Which for a sports centre is not acceptable and is actually quite shocking. How the hell did they decide to re-open the current building site, knowing full well that they couldn't offer a shower service?

I've been thoroughly unimpressed with GLL in Lambeth. The Clapham staff are decent, but after the Rec debacle, I'm not inspired with confidence for the Clapham 'refurbishment' (chopping 8m off the lovely 33m sized pool :rolleyes: ).

However up in Hackney and GLL manage and run London Fields Lido like a dream. I had a lovely morning up there at the weekend.

[Tricky Skills]

Rejoice! The 'new' Gents are now open at the Rec! (only six months behind schedule...)

And so Those New Improved Rec Changing Rooms in full:

A half-finished wall of tiling and some new shower heads. That's yer lot. The toilet count has been halved, and the ladies are back to squatting in the olds Gents with the plywood divider offering us some modesty.

£2.3m 'refurbishment' my (now clean) arse.

[gaijingirl]

Is the pool open in the evenings? I haven't swum for ages now and am missing it.. :(

[Tricky Skills]

Yes - open until 10pm.