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Eager parents queuing outside the popular Talacre Sports Centre. See story below |
Is leisure centre firm fit for job?
Talacre regulars fear flagship facility will suffer if private company takes over its management
MEMBERS of a flagship sports centre in Kentish Town say they are baffled by Camden Council’s plan to switch the facility’s management to a private firm.
Leisure chiefs have admitted they are close to cutting ties with Talacre Sports Centre as part of a “restructuring” review.
Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL), a social enterprise company which reinvests profits back into services, is set to take control of the popular building.
Union officials told a meeting of Camden Sports Council at Talacre last Wednesday night that they fear staff numbers may be cut under the new regime. They have the support of many regular users and have adopted a “if it’s not broke, why fix it” attitude to the negotiations.
Paula Jones, a parent whose child attends the centre’s Top Notch gym class, told the meeting: “It is a unique facility at Talacre. I don’t understand why they don’t leave it as it is.”
Talacre regular Andre Paul Francois said: “My children were on a gymnastics scheme in Hendon sports centre, which had a national coach. After GLL took control of that centre, he left. There was no effort to replace him with a coach of that standard.”
GLL, which already runs the Swiss Cottage and Oasis leisure centres, is not without supporters of its own and has been praised for sponsoring fencing tournaments in the borough.
Ronald Velden, treasurer of the Camden Sports Council, told the meeting: “GLL is a cooperative. No one in the organisation is earning any money above their salary. All profit is reinvested in the enterprise. No one should simply dismiss them as a bad thing.”
Liberal Democrat councillor Jill Fraser added: “GLL can make savings for the council.
“It is possible that GLL will take on here and the Kentish Town sports centre. It must be stressed that it is early days yet. GLL will not be subcontracted this year. Nothing is going to happen immediately, but it is highly probable.”
A GLL spokesman said the company would not comment on discussions.
All night long... Queue for gym course
WHILE most of us were fast asleep in the early hours of Tuesday morning, Camden’s most determined parents stepped out into the moonlight and headed to Talacre Sports Centre, writes Richard Osley.
The flagship leisure facility in Dalby Street, Kentish Town, was locked up for the night, but there were important places in the queue for the gym class to be bagged. Those at the front got there at 2am.
These are the extraordinary lengths parents will go to to enrol their children on to gymnastics courses at Talacre, which is recognised on a national level as being one of the best of its kind. It is also why parents think Camden Council’s plans for the future of the centre should be geared towards creating more places.
Labour councillor Nasim Ali said his wife got to the queue at 3.45am on Tuesday, hoping to sign up their son Rio on one of only 12 places for a new children’s course. By 7am, they had all gone.
“I’ve renamed her Supermum,” said Cllr Ali. “Talacre is a very successful sports centre managed by Camden. I remember going to various sporting achievements events when it opened during my mayoral year but Camden needs to provide more gym space.”
Leisure chief Liberal Democrat councillor Flick Rea said: “This has happened before for the gymnastics classes but I can’t remember people queuing through the night for anything else – maybe the Camden Crawl? This is a very prestigious course that is hugely popular. It is really just a victim of its own success. If we could magic up some more space we would.”
Gym stars shine at London Open
NO wonder Talacre Community Sports Centre is so popular!
The Boys from Camden Gymnastics Club, who are based at the treasured facility, were back in the limelight after putting on sparkling displays at the recent London Development Open in Dagenham.
Under the guidance of coaches Alex Pakrah, Steve Russo and Ivan Pastore, the squad of 10 boys more than held their own in the national six-piece showcase.
Pictured, above, are Camden Gymnastics Club’s boys squad: Luke Apata, Deveed Roodner, Issa Francois, Kemmi Omoshebi, Hugo Bennetts, Uylesses Arch, Joel Leon Benitez, Dominic Sesto, Theo Gale and Max Vlasto. |
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