Southend Leisure & Tennis Centre
Southend Leisure & Tennis Centre, also referred to as Garon Park, is a sports centre located in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England. The centre was built in March 1996 and expanded in November 2010, adding Southend Swimming and Diving Centre to the site, with a new reception area linking the two centres together with self-swiping turnstiles. The site's main name remained as Southend Leisure & Tennis Centre with the addition of Southend Swimming and Diving Centre. The centre is run by Fusion Lifestyle.[1]
Garon Park | |
| Former names | The Francis Sports Ground |
|---|---|
| Location | Southend-on-Sea, England |
| Owner | Southend-on-Sea Borough Council |
| Operator | Fusion Lifestyle |
| Opened | March 1996 |
Garon Park | |
| Location | Southend-on-Sea, England |
|---|---|
| Owner | Southend-on-Sea Borough Council |
| Operator | Fusion Lifestyle |
| Opened | 15 November 2010 |
Facilities
The Leisure Centre offers the following facilities:[2]
- Expressions Gym
- Group Fitness Studio
- Sauna, Steam Room & Spa
- 4 Indoor Tennis Courts
- 8 Court Sports Hall
- 2 Court Secondary Hall
- 3 Basketball Courts British Basketball League Standard
- Fully Flood-Lit:
- 8 lane Olympic size Athletics Track
- 4 Outdoor Tennis Courts
- 4 Outdoor Netball Courts
- Cappuccino Bar & Cafe
- Small Steps Day Nursery
- Function Rooms & Suites
- Spectator seating & Disabled access for:
- 25m Swimming Pool
- Fun Pool & Slide
- Olympic Diving Facility
Regular hosts
Each year, Southend Leisure & Tennis Centre hosts regular users and events:[3]
- The Olympic size Athletics Track has been the host for Southend-on-Sea Athletic Club since 1994. The track itself is due for refurbishment in 2011.
- The 8 Court Main Hall hosts events such as wrestling and cage fighting events in the Ultimate Warrior Challenge.
- The Centre is also home to the British Basketball League team the Essex Pirates.
Olympic training ground
After resurfacing & refurbishment of the athletics track in 2011, the site was proposed to be used as an Olympic Training Ground for the London 2012 Summer Olympics in the following sports:[4]
- Athletics
- Basketball
- Diving
References
- "Southend Swimming & Diving Centre at Southend Leisure & Tennis Centre". www.southend-leisure.com. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
- "Southend Leisure & Tennis Centre". www.leisurecentre.com. Retrieved 27 May 2010.
- "Southend Leisure & Tennis Centre". www.leisurecentre.co.uk. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
- "London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games". www.southend.gov.uk. Retrieved 14 January 2011.