A new gym designed for use by local women has been opened at Dormers Wells Leisure in Southall, ensuring that female members of the community have access to high-quality, safe and convenient facilities to exercise and keep physically active.
Since being made aware of the closure of the former Southall Sports Centre, Ealing Council has been working closely with its leisure provider Everyone Active to ensure alternative local facilities were available to female gym-users who relied on the facilities previously provided.
Dormers Wells Leisure Centre has a wide range of facilities available in addition to this new gym for women, including a swimming pool, main gym, six court sports hall and studio for group exercise classes, so it is ideally suited to serve the needs of the community.
The result is a 195 square metre space with 35 pieces of equipment which was officially opened to local women this month (15 August 2022) by Councillor Peter Mason, leader of the council, councillor Deirdre Costigan, deputy leader and councillor Jasbir Anand, cabinet member for thriving communities.
Councillor Mason said: “We knew that the gym facilities at Southall Sports Centre were incredibly valued by local women, and when we found out about its impending closure we immediately stepped up to secure alternative gym facilities that catered exclusively for women.
We have already received lots of positive feedback from female users of all backgrounds and abilities and take up is increasing week on week – this is great news and incredibly encouraging.
“We are fully committed to investing in sports and leisure facilities across the entire borough to ensure residents of all ages have the opportunity to stay healthy and active – these new gym facilities are just one part of this great project”
‘A range of activities regularly available’
The new gym facilities for women at Dormers Wells are just one part of a programme of investment for Southall to help local people stay active and healthy. Thanks to the Let’s Go Southall initiative, four free, state-of-the art outdoor gyms are now up and running across the area, giving local people further fitness opportunities.
The project, known as The Great Outdoor Gym (TGOG) is made up of facilities located at Spikes Bridge, Manor House, Southall Park and Southall Recreation Ground, boast new, cutting-edge equipment specifically designed for use by people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities.
And the local community is working together to improve their cycling with regular rides and bike maintenance thanks to Let’s Go Southall. The council is supporting the initiative all the way and is providing an astonishing 1,000 bikes to residents free-of-charge to ensure that anyone in the area who wants to get active and start cycling regularly can get involved.
Councillor Jasbir Anand, cabinet member for thriving communities said: “A new women’s gym at Dormers Wells is a welcome addition to an extensive range of new fitness facilities we are bringing to Southall.
“We know that it is vital that women in this area have a safe and welcoming place to exercise which is why we have worked hard as soon as we were made aware of the closure of Southall Sports Centre to ensure that there was an equivalent place for local women from a wide range of backgrounds to use.
“We want to ensure that residents in Southall have fantastic opportunities to stay physically active, which is why we launched Let’s Go Southall. The initiative is now in full swing and I’m delighted to see a range of different activities now regularly available to people.
