'Keep off our indoor athletics track'

PETITION AGAINST COUNCIL PROPOSAL TO TURN ‘VITAL’ LEISURE CENTRE FACILITY INTO TWO PADEL COURTS

- By JOE LOCKER Local democracy reporter

LOSING a popular indoor athletics track in a Nottingham council leisure centre shakeup would be “devastating’, petitioners say.

The city council is planning to make changes to how it operates its six leisure centres, including the Harvey Hadden Sports Village, and the Clifton, Djanogly, Ken Martin, Southglade and Victoria facilities.

However, planned changes at Harvey Hadden under the new operating model - including a gym expansion and the repurposing of an indoor athletics track into two new padel courts - have proved contentious.

A petition has been set up calling on the council to retain the indoor athletics track, and it has been signed by more than 1,000 people.

The track is used for training for sprinting, hurdles, long jump, triple jump, and high jump, pole vault, and throws, and has a deep history in the area for the Notts Athletics Club.

The petition, set up by Sophie Byrne, says: “We, the undersigned athletes, coaches, and parents associated with Notts Athletics Club, strongly oppose Nottingham City Council’s proposal to repurpose the indoor athletics track at Harvey Hadden Sports Village into two padel courts.

“The indoor track is a vital facility for athletes of all ages and disciplines in Nottinghamshire.