Bewsey & Dallam Community Hub opens its doors
Bewsey & Dallam Community Hub is officially open – with a little help from local schoolchildren
The new Bewsey & Dallam Community Hub in Warrington officially opened its doors today – with pupils from a local primary school cutting the red ribbon.
The children, members of the school council at neighbouring Dallam Community Primary School, cut the red ribbon at the opening ceremony of the new hub, which brings vital leisure, library, and community facilities to the area.
The new £4.3million facility on Longshaw Street provides residents with a range of community and wellbeing services, including community spaces, a state-of-the-art gym, multi-use studio, pool, and library provision.
It is operated by LiveWire, in line with the existing management agreement for the delivery of leisure, library and lifestyles services in Warrington. LiveWire will be working in partnership with Warrington Borough Council’s neighbourhoods team who will be managing the community rooms.
The community hub project originally developed through the Delivering Wellbeing in Bewsey and Dallam programme, before being adopted as a priority project in the Central 6 Masterplan. The council and other partners, including Torus, have provided the necessary capital investment along with a grant awarded by Sport England.
The hub is open from 9am to 8pm, Monday to Friday, and 9am to 4pm on weekends. Key features of Bewsey & Dallam Community Hub include:
- A state-of-the-art 30 station gym, including Technogym kit, functional fitness space and free weights area
- A multi-use studio space for group exercise classes, library events and community activities
- Over 30 live and virtual group exercise classes a week, including Les Mills Body Pump, Body Combat, Body Balance and Grit as well as Zumba, Yoga, Pilates and Boxercise
- A 10m x 7m pool that will offer a range of activities including swimming lessons and public swim as well as hydrotherapy and rehabilitation sessions
- Library facilities including self-service book borrowing and free public computers
- Community rooms for hire
- Free Wi-Fi throughout
- Accessible and group wet and dry changing facilities
- Dementia Friendly design principles followed
- A reception/social area providing an informal, relaxing space for community hub users with seating
- Lifestyle services, including weight loss programmes, smoking cessation, getting back into exercise, healthy walks and cancer rehabilitation
- Accessible WC facilities and lift
- Shared office space for partner organisations
- Free on-site parking for customers and visitors
Local residents within the Bewsey and Whitecross ward can currently claim a special offer to receive their first month membership for just £5. Leisure facilities can also be accessed on a pay-as-you-go basis.
Emma Hutchinson, Managing Director of LiveWire, said: “We are delighted that Bewsey & Dallam Community Hub has opened, and we would like to thank the pupils from Dallam Primary School for helping us declare the site officially open! We look forward to seeing them and their fellow pupils again soon at the Hub, taking advantage of the facilities on offer there. It was also an honour to welcome the Mayor, Councillor Maureen Creaghan to the Hub today.
“We’ve had wonderful feedback from residents who have called in to check out the facilities during our open days over the past week, and it’s really gratifying that so many have taken advantage of our opening offer for local residents. We hope they enjoy everything the Hub has to offer, testament to our commitment to improving the mental and physical health of the people of Warrington.
“I’d like to thank all LiveWire staff involved for their vision, hard work and commitment on the project, as well as Warrington Borough Council and all our other partners.”
Cllr Tony Higgins, Warrington Borough Council’s cabinet member for leisure and community, said: “It’s fantastic news that the new hub is open to the community. It will bring a huge boost to local people by providing a range of vital services that will make a real difference to their lives.
“This is a much-needed community facility that supports the wider regeneration of Bewsey and Dallam. It also supports our vision for the future – through our Central 6 Masterplan – to work together with our partners to collectively improve health, wellbeing, leisure, and learning opportunities for people throughout central Warrington.
“I hope as many people as possible sign up to LiveWire’s first month membership offer and take full advantage of having this new state-of-the-art facility on their doorstep.”
