Allander Leisure Centre, East Dunbartonshire Council

Client: East Dunbartonshire Council

Sector: Leisure & Recreation

Project Budget: £42,500,000

Delivered Social & Local Economic Value: £3,541,530

Economic value: £28,119,361

Community engagement spend: £8,401

Sustainable energy and diversion from landfill: 100%

Local spend: 87% within 40 miles

Local labour: 72% within 40 miles

"The new leisure centre gives people the chance to have fun, get fit and improve their health – both physically and mentally. I’m pleased the project also includes services and facilities for adults with learning disabilities. This is a great facility which will benefit people across East Dunbartonshire."

Councillor Gordan Low

Council Leader

Leisure and adult day care facilities together in one state-of-the-art facility.

East Dunbartonshire Council created the new Allander Leisure Centre to connect sport, culture and support for people with learning disabilities in a welcoming hub in the heart of the local community. It was very important from the outset that the community aided in the creation of the new designs.

With two outdated existing buildings and the desire to break down barriers, the new Allander Leisure Centre was created as a space full of opportunities for those with learning and physical disabilities, and the wider community.

The new Adult Day Care Centre was built following Health and Social Care best practices, whilst the Leisure facilities were given a much-needed upgrade to reflect the needs of the local community.

The Council had two ageing facilities that were no longer fit for purpose. After a 12-month consultation period, it was decided that the existing Adult Day Care Centre and Leisure Centre would have a new home in the same building. The new Allander Leisure Centre was to be inclusive, accessible, modern and community-focused.

The Leisure accommodation was planned so that more recreational spaces would be available to the community. These spaces included a larger swimming pool, a games hall and a modern gym. In addition, a new Sports Dome has been created to provide new football and tennis courts.

The Adult Day Care Centre offers unrivalled facilities. Visitors have access to sensory gardens, a new training kitchen, a hydrotherapy pool and a training pool.

Whilst construction of the new Allander Leisure Centre was underway, the old leisure centre was still open for most of phase one of the project. As it was a live site, traffic management, delivery planning and temporary car parks were all considerations that had to be made as part of the works.

Once the new centre was opened, the old facility was demolished to make way for the new Sports Dome. This was in close proximity to the brand-new building and had to be planned and organised effectively by our team on site.

The new Allander Leisure Centre offers the following leisure facilities:

A 25-metre, eight-lane swimming pool and 20m training pool with movable floor
Sauna and steam vitality room
Hydrotherapy pool
Gym and high & low intensity studios
State-of-the-art spin room
Eight-court games hall
Two squash courts
Wet and dry changing facilities
Café

In the Adult Day Care Centre, visitors can make use of:

Flexible meeting rooms, quiet spaces and office
Dementia, rebound, sensory and physiotherapy treatment rooms
Arts & crafts, dance and music rooms
Changing rooms
Kitchen facilities

Phases two and three of the project involved the demolition of the old centre and the construction of a new Sports Dome, offering two football pitches and a tennis court. In addition, a car park with approximately 275 spaces is available, with a shelter for cycles and electric vehicle charging spaces.

692

students engaged

placements, apprentices and trainees

182

local jobs sustained and created