Wensum Lodge Sports Hall is officially re-opened by John Jennings, Sheriff of Norwich, after community campaigns to save it, giving people a chance to play sport again in the Norwich facility. PHOTO BY SIMON FINLAY

Volunteers celebrate Norwich sports centre which avoided closure thanks to people power

Richard Wheeler Sunday, March 17, 2013
3:11 PM

Volunteers have today officially celebrated the re-opening of Wensum Lodge Sports Hall, which was in danger of disappearing.

Badminton, squash, short mat bowls, table tennis and canoeing were among the activities on offer as the trustees and helpers continued their attempts to encourage more people to use the Norwich facility.

The King Street-based centre was faced with closure after Norfolk County Council said maintenance costs were too expensive and talks to sell the sports hall and its car park began.

But people who used the hall took action and after two years of campaigning, the hall has continued to operate and they say they are on the verge of signing a five-year lease.

Proposals to use the site for housing have been left out of Norwich City Council’s draft plans for future development.

Doug Poynton, chairman of the Friends of Wensum Lodge, said: “What we have achieved as a body and a group of people will stand the test of time and people will look back hopefully in 20 years time and think ‘thank goodness this group did this’.”

To get involved with the sports centre, email wensumsports@yahoo.co.uk

For more on the story, see tomorrow’s papers.