The future of Ladywell Arena
The Council is to dispose of its management responsibilities for Ladywell Arena and athletics track and is seeking expressions of interests from private or community groups interested in running the Ladywell Fields sports facility.
Green Ladywell quotes Lewisham as saying:
The potential community lease of the Arena does include the Gym. The current cost to the Council for managing the facility is approximately £185,320 per year (this changes with GDP each year).”
If anyone wants to contact Annette, she can be emailed here.
Local resident Annette Lewis is attempting to put together a community bid and is organising a meeting on March 2nd, 7.30pm, St Mary's Church, Lewisham High Street. She says:
Lewisham Council has invited bids from private sports groups to take over the running of the track and gym on a 10 year lease. The Arena was opened 13 years ago with Lottery money and has recently been upgraded with public money. The track was resurfaced and the gym redecorated and disabled access improved. The Arena is currently managed by Parkwood Leisure but their contract runs out in October 2011.
A group of regular users are campaigning to keep the Arena for public use which includes free use for pensioners and reduced fees for Lewisham Passport holders including the disabled and low income groups and use of all Leisure centres run by Parkwood for one fee for members. There is a junior gym for young people and groups for wheelchair racers. All this may be lost if Lewisham Council give our Arena away.