Volunteer Run Leisure Centre Praised For Enthusiasm & ‘Power of Community’

A Wrexham leisure centre which was saved from closure by a team of local volunteers has been praised for its enthusiasm and described as an example of the ‘power of the community’.

Splash Magic, previously known as Plas Madoc, the leisure centre in Wrexham which was transferred to the community, is an example of what can be achieved when communities and local authorities work together Finance Minister Jane Hutt.

The Minister visited the leisure centre as part of her Budget tour in North Wales, which aims to engage with as many people and organisations working on the front line as possible ahead of the UK Government’s Spending Review.

The leisure centre at Plas Madoc has been managed by the Splash Community Trust since December 2014, after a team of volunteers saved the leisure centre from closure.

Back in April 2014 Plas Madoc was closed by Wrexham Council and anticipated to be demolished to make financial savings. However following a Council U-Turn the centre was reopened in October 2014 as ‘Splash Magic’, by a team of volunteers who took on the maintenance of the buildings.

Since then there have been over 60,000 visitors to the swimming pool and many thousands of visitors to take part in the other facilities and activities provided at the centre.

Speaking about the centre, a statement issued by the Minister earlier today reads: “Wrexham Council also supported the move by providing advice, supporting the business case and providing funding.”

The Minister added: “Splash Magic is an excellent example of what can be achieved when the power of the community is harnessed. It has been good to see the enthusiasm here and the progress which has been made over the past few months with the support of the local authority.

“Community Asset Transfers, such as this one, are an opportunity for communities to safeguard and ensure the long-term use of assets and services across Wales. We have recently published the Community Asset Transfer guidance to make the process smoother for those interested in taking it forward.

“The current challenging financial climate means that it is crucial that we join together to protect our communities and services, and Community Asset Transfers are one way to achieve this. The benefits of a successful Community Asset Transfer are clear, as we have seen here today at Splash Magic.”