SPORTS clubs who use the Regional Sports Centre in Stopsley are worried they will no longer have a home when the centre is demolished this year.
At least 40 clubs currently use the centre, which will be replaced by the new Aquatics Centre.
Club chairmen say they had expected to hear if there is room for them in the new centre by now.
Michael Chapman, who runs a roller-skating club, said: “We were told last year we would be informed of the allocations by Christmas and we are still waiting. I don’t see how we are all going to fit in the new sports centre as it only has the equivalent of two sports halls, whereas the existing centre has three. This so–called Olympics legacy will not happen if we lose all our sports facilities. We are always struggling to find sports halls as it is.”
Running club Stopsley Striders have used the centre for almost 30 years.
Mark Sains from the club said: “Although we were supposed to hear about the final plans for clubs by the end of March, we have not heard any news either way. We have recently written to Active Luton about our block booking requirements in the new centre and are currently awaiting a response.”
However, the Regional Sports Centre will not be demolished in July as previously thought, and a Luton Labour group spokesperson said when it shuts all the clubs will be accommodated ‘one way or another’.
A Luton Borough Council spokesperson said: “The final details of the planned closure of the regional sports centre are still being worked up and Active Luton has written to all of the clubs that use the centre to keep them informed on progress. Another letter will be sent shortly. The priority will of course be to ensure that there is minimal impact to customers during any transition.
“One of the planning requirements of the new centre was that the regional sports centre building was to be demolished. We will not know the costs until the demolition is out for tender.”
The spokesperson also said clubs were “never told they would be informed by the end of last year”. They were told they would hear in January 2012 and a letter went out in January to “update and confirm that further information would be circulated in due course”.
The next letters are expected to go out by the end of April.
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