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North Yorkshire Council has announced plans to invest more than £40m to improve and modernise leisure centres across the county.
Four centres in Pickering, Selby, Skipton, and Whitby, would share £36m to become flagship health and wellbeing hubs.
A further £3m would be used to update gym and fitness equipment across 12 leisure sites operated by the authority, while £1.1m would be spent to reopen Richmond Swimming Pool, which was forced to close in April after part of the ceiling fell down.
The proposed investment comes after North Yorkshire Council took over the running of leisure services from the former district and borough councils following the launch of the unitary authority in 2023.
The four leisure centres to receive the bulk of the funding would be the Active North Yorkshire sites in Selby and Skipton, as well centres in Pickering and Whitby are currently operated by Everyone Active, and due to become part of Active North Yorkshire in 2027.
The investment would see a renovation of swimming pools and change rooms, as well improved gym facilities and additional studio space.
Pool accessibility would be improved, including Changing Places facilities for people with additional needs, and improved reception areas and public spaces across the four sites.
North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for culture, arts and housing, Councillor Simon Myers, whose responsibilities include leisure services, said:
“We are committed to making sure that everyone in North Yorkshire has the best opportunities possible to stay active or take up exercise to help to promote both physical and mental health and wellbeing.
“This proposed investment is a massive statement in providing this commitment, and the plans would see funding made available to key sites across the county.
“An awful lot of work has gone into the proposals to make sure that we can provide our leisure services as effectively as possible through the new Active North Yorkshire banner, and we will consider the plans carefully when they are presented to members of the council’s executive later this year.”
In Richmond, the money would be used to replace the ceiling and carry out work on the plant room at the pool, with council bosses hoping the venue can reopen next year.
More than 2,200 people responded to a council survey on the future of the pool.
Of those, 58 per cent of people said that they used the facility at least once a week, while 74 per cent of respondents said that it was “very important” that the swimming pool was re-opened.
More than 3,000 people also signed a petition to keep the pool open following the closure.
Cllr Myers said:
“We have listened to the public and taken on board their views about the leisure provision in Richmond and understand the importance of not just the swimming pools but the gym facilities too.
“We recognise the strategic need for the site to remain in Richmond as this fits with our countywide vision to promote health and wellbeing across North Yorkshire.”
The investment has been welcomed by Richmond councillors.
Councillor Stuart Parsons, division member for the town on North Yorkshire Council, said it was a “huge relief” that the authority was proposing to keep the facility open.
He added:
“It is great news that North Yorkshire Council is recommending that the pool be repaired and reopened.
"We look forward to next year.”
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