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Rescue gathers pace
1:55pm Thursday 26th July 2007
The dream of reopening White Horse Leisure Centre in Calne seems set to become more of a reality as pledges and grants top the £200,000 mark.
Calne Leisure Action Group is inviting residents to a public meeting at 7pm tonight at Calne Town Hall to hear more about the bid.
The group has already raised in excess of £220,000 towards the cost of re-launching the leisure centre on October 1.
A trust set up with the help of two wealthy men from the Calne area 34 years ago has donated £50,000 to the cause.
The Underwood Trust was created on July 1, 1973 and supports UK registered charities and other official charitable organisations, which benefit society in Scotland and Wiltshire.
The benefactors, who have lived in a village on the outskirts of Calne for 30 years wish to remain anonymous.
North Wiltshire District Council's Area Five Committee awarded the latest grant of £75,000 last Thursday.
The committee, which is responsible for the whole of Calne and its surrounding villages, took only 15 minutes to unanimously reach its decision.
The money will be used to buy new gym equipment for the centre if CLAGs rescue bid is given the go ahead next week.
Committee chairman, town and district councillor Tony Trotman said: "It was a great pleasure to award CLAG this money for something that will be of great benefit to young and old residents in Calne alike.
"The need for a leisure centre in Calne is incredibly strong and we are looking forward to the day when we hear it is to be reopened."
CLAG has also been waiting on a decision from the Industrial Providence Society as to whether the not-for-profit organisation will take on the long-term running of the centre.
If the IPS gives CLAG the green light, the group will collect the keys on August 1 and begin work to renovate the 30-year-old building.
Group spokesman, former town councillor Peter Dolman said: "The speed at which this is all going is phenomenal.
"Everything is looking good and we obviously remain positive about the plans.
"There are 5,600 homes in Calne. If they gave £10 each we would have £56,000 towards the project."
CLAG has now opened up its offer of selling shares to people in north Wiltshire.
Before, only people in Calne and the surrounding villages could buy the £10 shares.
CLAG can be contacted by emailing calneleisurecentreactiongroup@hotmail.co.uk.
Your Say YourGazette
P Dolman, Calne says...
12:41pm Thu 2 Aug 07
Many of the suggestions you have listed have already been discussed as have many others. The survival ultimately is with the population at large, I know it is a bit of a cliche but "use it or lose it" it is very unlikely that another chance will come along!
ElaineKing, Calne says...
8:36pm Tue 7 Aug 07
I have been spreading the word whenever I get the chance to tell people t
hat the Leisure centre is re-opening. In the main their response has been wide eyed surprise followed by the comment "Oh Brilliant, that's great" and similar such remarks. It just struck me that maybe it ought to be advertised a lot more to make certain that everyone really does know that it IS opening and that will give them the oportunity to buy the shares and make contributions. I have spoken to a lot of people since this whole business started and have found that not many people have even got computers. Could it not be splashed across the front page of the Gazette BIG & BOLD to catch people's eye?
Anyway, I for one will most certainly use the centre for swimming, my husband for the Gym. My daughter and her family will use many of the facilities including all the keep fit and aerobic classes. We all can't wait!!!.
P Dolman, Calne says...
11:41am Sat 11 Aug 07
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Charles Boase, left, Mike Lewis, Torie Wickens, Anita Hodgeson, Jacqye Ward, Richard Stigwood, Kevin Wells, Peter Dolman, and Andrew Marshall
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ElaineKing, Calne says...
9:05am Thu 2 Aug 07
It will be wonderful to see people, especially children enjoying the swimming pool again.
We all know that our need to be in or around water is one of our most basic instincts. Look at how we flock to the sea-side or mess about on boats. Even going fishing satisfies one of these primeval needs, and babies love nothing better that splashing around in a bath or paddling pool!
I hope that the Leisure Centre will function in a similar way to when it first opened many years ago with Mike Lewis at the helm, but without the exclusivity it had way back then.
It will be fantastic to re-instate all the fitness classes etc, but how about a couple of pool tables for the children and a proper snack bar for milk-shakes, coffees and sandwiches etc. to encourage children off the streets.
Also getting people to have childrens birthday parties - both wet and dry.
It would be good to have tournaments there - Basketball, boxing, karate and the like would all help to attract revenue to the centre in addition to all the usual events that went on there before it's closure, ie. the Gym, Squash and swimming.
I do hope that once it re-opens, the Management - whoever they may be, will not sit back on their laurels and let the centre run itself. It needs people with continuous enthusiasm who will work tirelessly to make sure the centre remains lively and energetic and a constant attraction to the townsfolk.