Compared with towns of a similar size, Cheltenham has a good range of sports and recreation facilities. We have plenty of green spaces within the town and the Cotswold hills are on our doorstep. We also have several sports fields and tennis courts dotted across the town, as well as the amazing Lido.
For over 40 years, we have also benefited from the Leisure Centre and the Prince of Wales Stadium. These were some of the best facilities in the country when they opened. For instance, very few leisure centres around the country have a diving pool and even fewer towns have a dedicated athletics stadium. Sadly, both are now in urgent need of significant investment.
The running track is no longer up to the required standard and until it is resurfaced it will not be able to host some athletic meets. The state of the leisure centre building means it is increasingly blighted with closures due to emergency structural work. Compared with towns of a similar size, Cheltenham has a good range of sports and recreation facilities. We have plenty of green spaces within the town and the Cotswold hills are on our doorstep.
The Cheltenham Trust does an amazing job to operate both aging facilities but without the right level of investment coming from the council, I do worry for the future of our sport and leisure in our town. The council needs to start explaining to the people of Cheltenham what they intend to do and how they will find the money needed.
Extreme weather needs to be treated like Covid
The leisure centre wasn’t the only building to suffer as a result of the almost biblical rains we have had in recent weeks. Much of Cheltenham was affected with roads flooded, roofs leaking, trains cancelled and schools closed.
Extreme weather events are becoming increasingly common. One report from the UN has estimated they has quadrupled in the last 50 years.
The world, led by governments such as our own, needs to treat this with the same seriousness as it did for Covid. Many of the key issues the world is facing today such as immigration, wars and famine are directly or indirectly due to climate change. The world came together to find a solution to Covid and it has to do the same when it comes to dealing with the climate emergency.
Natalie Bennett coming to Cheltenham
Former Green Party leader, Baroness Bennett, will be coming to Cheltenham on the 29th October.
The event will be held at the Steam and Whistle pub near the train station and will start at 7.30pm.
Tickets are on sale now https://allevents.in/cheltenham/300040073712