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Video: Grand opening of brand new pool
FIRST to test the water at the brand new state of the art Billingshurst Leisure Centre on Friday was British swimming legend Karen Pickering MBE.
To watch a video of the grand opening, click on the green button on this page.
What do you make of the new pool?
Leave your messages below or call Liza Laws on 01403 751231.
Karen was a fitting special guest at the official opening ceremony of the 5.7m swimming pool and gym having been an outstanding member of the British swimming squad since 1986.
She delighted guests at the opening with a swimming demonstration after she officially opened the centre along with Horsham District Council chairman John Bailey.
Karen has picked up a number of medals including eight World Championship and 14 European Championship, 38 National Championship titles as well as a Commonwealth Games medal haul of 13 including four gold.
Opening the centre, she said: "It is a great pleasure to be here today. Hopefully now, there is going to be a whole new generation of swimmers from this area to use these brilliant facilities.
"It is always really exciting for me to come to Sussex having been born and raised in Brighton. I have tested the water and the facilities are fantastic."
The new leisure centre will offer the community a 25-metre, four lane swimming pool with a moveable floor, a 50-station fitness suite with facilities for disabled customers, a new entrance foyer with reception and refreshment areas, changing and shower rooms, a floodlit artificial pitch, four court indoor sports hall and a sprung floor gymnasium.
Brian Donnelly (Con, Pulborough and Coldwaltham), cabinet member for leisure and health at Horsham District Council, said: "Today celebrates the completion of the Horsham District Swimming Strategy which the council first adopted as long ago as 1996.
"Now as a result of the substantial investment the district council and its funding partners have made, over 90 per cent of our residents are within ten minutes' drive time of excellent indoor swimming facilities."
He thanked a number of people including the Weald School staff and governors, Billingshurst Parish Council and West Sussex County Council and Sport England.
He said: "It is hugely important that I should thank Billingshurst Parish Council not only for providing most of the land needed for the project but also for their annual contribution to the pool's ongoing running costs.
"A facility as good as this will, I am sure, provide hours of enjoyment and healthy exercise for the young and not-so-young residents of this part of the district.
"Indeed with the recent example of the Beijing games, I hope we may produce a future World or Olympic champion so it is particularly appropriate that someone with the profile and stature of Karen Pickering should be with us today to celebrate this achievement.
"I am delighted she agreed to swim the first length in our new pool."
Centre manager, Stephen Hopkins, said the local schools would be using the pool on a regular basis and a programme for them would be up and running in October.
The Billingshurst pool project is a partnership between HDC, Billingshurst Parish Council, West Sussex County Council and the Weald School.
It has been funded through developer contributions arising from new homes built in Billingshurst in recent years, as well as by HDC and a 683,000 donation from the National Lottery's Sport England fund.
A 10,000 per annum contribution to the net annual running costs has been agreed by Billingshurst Parish Council.
For opening times and prices call 01403 787500.
For comprehensive coverage of all the stories making the local news, read Friday's edition of the West Sussex County Times newspaper. Website users who wish to purchase a copy of the County Times newspaper but live outside our circulation area can do so by telephoning 01403 751200 and asking for reception. The cost of the newspaper plus postage in England is 1.53 which can be paid for by credit card. Overseas rates are also available, on request.
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Weather for Horsham
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
