Sports halls and changing facilities at the National Sports Centre reopen next Monday (11 July).
The two multi-purpose sports halls and the changing rooms were among indoor and outdoor facilities damaged in severe flooding on Thursday 3 December.
The halls have undergone a thorough cleaning and drying out process and have been repainted, with new floors and lighting installed. Replacement sports equipment has been purchased.
In refitting the changing rooms, the opportunity has been taken to make them more accessible to and suitable for customers with disabilities.
Tim Crookall MLC, Minister for Education and Children, said:
‘The sports halls and changing facilities are widely used by many sections of the community and for our own Manx Sport and Recreation programmes and it will be a major milestone in the recovery of the NSC to have them back in use.
‘The NSC will be contacting regular sports hall users to reactivate their bookings.’
The Minister continued:
‘Work goes on towards refitting and reopening the remainder of the damaged facilities. The squash courts are undergoing a complete makeover which will greatly improve them and we hope to have them in use by the end of August.
‘The opportunity is being taken to make the bowls hall much more user-friendly for elderly and disabled users and we hope that will be back in use in September, representing the end of nine months’ hard work to replace and, where appropriate, improve facilities.
‘I’d once again like to thank NSC users for their patience as we continue our recovery from the disastrous flooding last December.’
