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Celebrating 25 Years of Leisure in Sandown 2007
Our
very own Heights Leisure Centre in Sandown was 25 years old on Sunday
25th March, with a weekend of events staged to ensure the occasion didn't
pass without justified commemoration.
During the anniversary weekend all activities cost just 25p with visitors
being given the chance to enter a draw to win one of 25 One Card prizes.
Anyone associated with the 
Heights
in any way was invited to come along to the special party on Saturday
evening (24th March) from 7.30pm where a commemorative plaque was unveiled
by the IW Council Chairman, Councillor Charles Chapman (pictured right).
iwight.com was present at the anniversary party, which saw a whole host of faces both old and new, combine together to show their appreciation for what is clearly a very community-driven leisure centre.
Recognising commitment & dedication
Our online photo gallery portrays some of the key individuals who between them, represent full 25 years of The Heights. The hard work and dedication of these employees have played a central role in building upon the centres' reputation to make it the success it is today.
John
Sands (pictured here on the left) began as Manager September in 1984 with
South Wight Borough Council and following a period of privatisation from
1989-91, returned in 1992 as Sports and Recreation Officer for the Council
with the responsibility for the Marketing of the Centre. During this time,
The Heights had no actual manager; the Council's Borough Treasurer took
on the day to day responsibility whilst Leisure Services were being re-organised.
The Council's Leisure DSO therefore managed the centre until 1995.
Dave McDine, the current General Manager of The Heights (pictured to the right of John Sands above), joined the Heights in November 1996 as a Duty Manager. At this time there were three Managers with equal responsibility for the site. These were Lawrence Edmonston; Finance and Administration Manager, Lynn Burford; Operations Manager and Martin Rockley; Technical Manager. Following a spell at Medina Leisure Centre and Ryde Ice Arena, coupled with a re-structuring of Wight Leisure and The Heights management Team, Dave returned to the centre in September 1999 as Facility Manager with overall responsibility for the whole site.
Pictured
to the left following a presentation made by the Council Chairman and
Dave McDine are Olive Saunders (left) and Lynne Young (right). Olive has
been actively associated with the Leisure Centre as a volunteer since
it opened, and spent over 10 years as the centre’s Life Guard Trainer
and Examiner and also as a leading member of the “Saturday Night
Club for people with Disabilities” since the club was formed.
Lynne has been a permanent fixture since day one and is the centre’s
longest serving employee, working as a Receptionist for the last 25 years.
Whilst many staff and volunteers have put in many years of service to
the centre, these two ladies are the only two to have been associated
with the centre from the day the doors first opened right through until
The Heights 25 year anniversary.
A potted history of The Heights
Built by South Wight Borough Council on Sandown Heights, The Heights was officially opened by HRH Prince Michael of Kent on 25th March 1982 as Sandown Bay Leisure Centre. At that time, there were two swimming pools, four squash courts and a café. Soon after the opening, more facilities were added in the adjacent old Artillery Block. A bar, two sunbeds, a sauna and spa, plus two activity rooms that were soon hosting a 50+ group, karate clubs, a dance school and keep fit classes.
Commit to Get Fit
The
café and bar were operated as concessions and Oscar and Jacqui Stretch
and their family ran the café while John Beech ran the Artillery Bar.
Staff enthusiastically created a petanque terrain. Responding to a request
for about half a ton of chalk for the base, Hylton Bennet delivered a
full tipper wagon! The Gunners team was formed and soon worked their way
up through the leagues.
Compulsory Competitive Tendering (CCT) was introduced to local authorities in the late 1980s and the leisure centre contract was won by Crossland Leisure, beginning a period of private sector working. Due to the high quality and dedication of its staff and customers, the centre was always a high-performing facility in the top ten of its kind in the UK. With Crossland, the centre won the national Commit to Get Fit marketing campaign against 25 other centres within the group.
Health, Leisure, Relaxation... and home-made wine!
Life
in the private sector had its risks and down side and, in 1991, the holding
company for Crossland went into receivership. The local authority took
back the day-to-day operation and soon began to invest in an upgrading
programme throughout. In July 1992, the Mayor of South Wight, Councillor
'Buster' Bartlett, officially opened the refurbished and extended Heights
Health and Leisure Base. The new facilities included a health suite with
sauna, steam room and spa, a purpose-built aerobics studio, a fitness
suite, two new sunbed rooms, a bar, extended kitchen area, new changing
rooms and a new entrance to the centre.
The majority of the facilities in the building behind the centre were converted into office space to be used by Social Services while the bar became the centre's crèche for customers' children. The two old outbuildings were used as stores. One was used by the swimming club for its equipment. The other was for the centre engineer's large stock of home-made wine which became his entry ticket to the early Glastonbury Festivals!
This
hoard was discovered during an unannounced inspection of the centre by
the Health and Safety Executive. After a cursory inspection of the plant
room and other facilities, the remainder of the visit was spent discussing
wine varieties and brewing methods with our engineer - we were not to
know that the Inspector was a home-made wine expert, connoisseur and judge!
We had a favourable report that year.
A focal point for the local community
The
outbuildings disappeared to become car parking for the Civic Centre -
the wine never returned! The next major change was at the beginning of
this year when, following investment by the Council, a new fitness facility,
the Health Zone, was created in what was the bar area.
The Heights is far more than just a leisure centre - it's a focal point for the local community. Several million visitors have been welcomed through the doors over the last 25 years. Many customers have achieved national and international sporting recognition - Leonard and Vivienne Cherriman, Joan Kidd, Louis Attrill, Andy Frost, Ross and Aaron Williams to name but a few.
Many
more customers have achieved individual goals by just keeping fit, losing
weight, learning to swim, playing their first game of squash or simply
meeting new friends in a warm and relaxed atmosphere. British, European,
Commonwealth and even world records have been broken in the annual masters
swimming gala. Staff have also excelled at sports, including Mandy Coleman
(European powerlifting) and Charlene Franklin (swimming). Something else
the Heights excelled at in the late 1980s was - producing babies! A lot
of staff were starting families and we were asked if it was anything to
do with the pool water and, if so, could it be tested!
Looking forward to the next 25 years
The
staff at The Heights have always been a committed team of leisure professionals,
and some have notched up over 20 years' service. There's a wide and ever-growing
range of activities and facilities on offer at The Heights, with swimming
lessons and aerobics classes remaining as popular as ever.
Pictured to the left is the recently converted bar area which is now a Junior Gym.
These new gym sessions for young people are proving very popular and a GP referral scheme encourages people to take up exercise for what may be the first time. Squash leagues and numerous clubs use the facilities week after week. Use continues to grow - what will the next 25 years bring? Whatever is in store, the strong and committed workforce will take on whatever challenges they face.
©2011 Isle of Wight Council
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