New £800,000 sports centre opens in Yeovil

A NEW era for sporting excellence began earlier today (Tuesday, October 2, 2012) with the official opening of the new £800,000 Preston Sports Centre in Yeovil.
 
The centre was opened by two former pupils of Preston School, 19-year-old Tom Minchington and 15-year-old Daniel Liu who are both talented sportsmen as well as Paralympic and Olympic hopefuls for Rio 2016.
 
Tom who has Cerebral Palsy is an assistant coach with the Yeovil Olympiads and has won a range of medals for sprinting and the long jump at a number of National Junior Disability Championships. He hopes to represent Team GB at the Paralympics in Rio in the 400 metre sprint.

Daniel who is a swimmer has won two gold medals at the UK School Games in the 200m butterfly and 4X100m medley relay and aims to compete in the European Junior Championships next year and hopefully be selected for the Olympic Games in 2016.
 
The new centre which will hopefully inspire a new generation of sporting talent has a newly refurbished sports hall, state of the art fitness gym and multi purpose dance studio.
 
The project is part of a joint partnership scheme between the school, 1610 leisure trust and South Somerset District Council and will provide a first class leisure and sports facility for the local community.

The CEO of 1610, Tim Nightingale, said the new facilities will prove to be a great asset for the local community.

“2012 has all been about sporting excellence and inspiring the next generation from the Olympics,'' he said. ''So local people in Yeovil now have a new superb community sports facility which will inspire them to follow their dreams and get fit or take up a sport.

''Whether it is training for a Triathlon in the gym or getting fit and having fun in the new dance studio then Preston Sports Centre has both the facilities and staff expertise to deliver those dreams.”
 
Principal of Preston School, Tony Bloxham, said that the new facilities are already having a great impact on the life of the school and community:
 
“Even in the first few weeks of term I have loved seeing students, staff and community members using the fitness gym and dance studio alongside each other, enjoying recreation, exercise and play,'' he said.

''These new facilities have transformed what we are able to offer and I thank all those involved in making them a reality.”

1610 who manage the facilities have extended the opening hours for the new leisure centre so that members of the public have greater access to the centre during the day, evening and at the weekend. There is also more dedicated car parking made available for public access to the facilities.

The centre now offers more health and fitness classes and sports development courses, as well as encouraging local community groups and sports clubs to make use of the facilities.
 
As part of the official launch of the centre local people will be able to come along and try the new facilities for just £5 for a seven day trial period from October 2-12 without having to sign up to a membership straight away.

Check out our photo gallery by clicking on the link below -

http://www.yeovilpress.co.uk/blog/2012/10/02/new-preston-sports-centre-opens-in-yeovil/

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