Congleton children have added their signatures to our town's new leisure centre, which could be ready by next Christmas.

Eight sports-loving youngsters used permanent markers to write their names onto metal, which will serve as a time capsule for the £10 million pound project.

Children from The Quinta Primary School, in Congleton, were given the chance to make their own mark on the work to upgrade the town's leisure centre – by signing one of the last pieces of steel to be used to form the structure of the new pool hall.

Their school is known for its sports achievements and is the currently Congleton's sports champions, so some of their budding athletes were chosen to scribble onto one of the final beams to be installed onto the site.

The signing took place outside the construction site but the children were able to see the new-look centre taking shape from a safe distance.

Work on the £10m upgrade started in June and, despite recent heavy rains and the pandemic, the scheme is progressing well, according to Cheshire East Council.

The 70-week project is due to be completed towards the end of 2022. So you could be exercising in it this time next year.

There will be two new swimming pools, with a thermal suite, modern gym, and soft play area.

They'll also be a café, where you can chill with a pre or post-workout drink.

The refurbishment is being carried out by Congleton-based company Pulse Design and Build.

The local contractors have a registered address on the Radnor Park industrial estate, on Greenfield Road.

Councillor Mick Warren, Cheshire East Council's chair of the environment and communities committee, said: "The work on the leisure centre is progressing well and I am convinced leisure centre members, and the town, will be pleased with their new facility."

Congleton Leisure Centre, which was built in the early 1970s, was knocked down during the pandemic, with a full reconstruction beginning in June 2021.

The first class leisure facility will be managed by Everybody Sport and Recreation, who already run leisure centres in Macclesfield and at Alderley Park.

Alison Cope, PE coordinator at The Quinta, said: "We were thrilled to be asked to sign the steel and the children thoroughly enjoyed their chance to see the construction work from a distance.

"The school has a very strong record across many sports and I am sure many of our pupils will be using the refurbished leisure centre when it is completed."

The new-look Congleton Leisure Centre will span more than 3,300 square metres and the new pool hall 670sq metres.

The centre is one of the borough's 14 leisure and sports facilities, all of which are managed by Everybody Sport and Recreation.

The re-opening not only will bring more people into our town, and prevent us from making long journeys to work out, but it will also aid businesses on Worrall Street like The Forum Chinese Restaurant.

See also: Hundreds of festive goodies donated by Congleton leisure provider

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