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New £30m leisure centre opened by council

BBC A man dressed in a black t-shirt and black shorts lying on a weight bench lifting weights on a barbell. He is in a weights room surrounded by other equipment.BBC
The facility was built to replace an ageing leisure centre in Widnes

A new £30m leisure centre has been opened by a council to make health and fitness "affordable" for residents.

Halton Leisure Centre on Moor Lane in Widnes in Cheshire was built to replace Kingsway Leisure Centre, which closed last month after being open for more than 40 years.

The new facility includes a 25m swimming pool, fitness studios, squash court, steam room and sauna, and community rooms.

Facilities manager at Halton Borough Council, Marc Jones said the new centre had been built to make leisure activities more widely available for residents.

Halton Borough Council Running machines and five black exercise bikes visible on the gym floor. One side of the gym is floor to ceiling height windows which overlook a street.Halton Borough Council
The centre includes a gym, fitness studios, squash court and sauna

The centre includes 150 car parking spaces, along with electric car charging bays, and bike racks.

A soft play area and cafe are set to open in the building at a later date, a council spokesperson said.

Halton Borough Council A large sports hall with blue walls and floor markings. There are five-a-side football goals and and basketball nets at either end.Halton Borough Council
A sports hall is among the facilities at the new centre

Halton Councillor Paul Nolan said the new centre offered "a modern mix of facilities tailored to our local community".

"Keeping active is vital for health and wellbeing, and this project supports the Council's vision of helping more residents to participate in sport and physical activity for the long-term good," he said.

Halton Borough Council An exterior view of the the new white and brown building with a sign made from silver lettering which reads Halton Leisure Centre Halton Borough Council
The new £30m centre on Moor Lane took two years to complete

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