A COMMUNITY’S wait for a new leisure centre is nearly over, with a £650,000 sports facility set to open this summer.

Crook has been without a leisure centre since October 2011 when Durham County Council closed Glenholme Leisure Centre, despite 4,000 people signing a petition to save it.

In 2013, Crook Community Leisure (CCL) was awarded £500,000 to create a new sports facility in the town, and four years of planning and hard work later the dream is soon to be a reality.

Internal work is well underway at the new centre, located at Peases West, and it is due to open at the beginning of July. Once this milestone is reached, CCL, a limited company with charitable status, will move on to the next phase to create a 4G football pitch, sports hall and swimming pool on the county council-owned site.

CCL chairman John Winter said: “Little did we know when we started this journey back in 2013 what a long and winding road it would be. Still we are nearly there with stage one to bring leisure facilities to Peases West.

“In March 2014, a photograph appeared in The Northern Echo showing Cllr Eddie Murphy, Ian Hirst and myself looking at the plans for the site and these are now coming to fruition.

“Sadly, Eddie died in May 2014. Eddie achieved so much for Crook and we know he would be so pleased that the firm foundations he put in place have been built upon.”

The new centre, built by Crook-based Dolmay Construction, will feature a gym, café bar, function room, multi-use rooms for fitness classes, showers and changing facilities. There will also be a separate changing block for Crook and District Athletics Club and local football teams.

Along with the £500,000 awarded from the cancelled refurbishment of the Elite Hall, CCL received £74,000 from Sports England and £68,000 from Social Investment Business.

Crook county councillors also supported the project through their neighbourhood budgets, including former councillor Maureen Stanton.

She said: “One of the reasons I became a councillor was to help bring this project to fruition so I am absolutely delighted we have reached this stage.”