Bilston Leisure Centre – Already Supporting The Local Community
Bilston’s new leisure centre is already providing strong support to the local community – even before it has been built.
People and businesses in the Wolverhampton area are benefitting from both the creation of jobs and the procurement of local materials by contractors.
The latest recruit, 20-year-old Amy Snee, from Dudley, has secured work on the site as a result of main contractor Shepherd Construction teaming up with Job Centre Plus to find employment opportunities for local people.
Amy will be gaining valuable full-time experience as a receptionist and document controller in the site’s office for the next 12 months.
So far Shepherd Construction and the team of sub-contractors have taken on 19 people from the local area to work on the site. It is hoped that more paid work placements, providing vital experience to job seekers, will be created as the construction programme progresses with Shepherd continuing to work closely with Job Centre Plus.
In addition, Shepherd is also ensuring that wherever possible local materials for the new-build project are sourced within the Wolverhampton City Council boundary. To date more than £630,000 worth of building materials and equipment such as recycled aggregate, concrete and lifts for cranes have been ordered from local companies.
Richard Fielding, construction director for Shepherd Construction, commented: “Through jobs creation and the sourcing of local materials wherever possible, we are endeavouring to help boost the local economy as much as we can, as well as delivering a leisure centre that the community can be proud of.”
Councillor Paddy Bradley, Wolverhampton City Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Enterprise, added: “It is great news that local people – as well as local businesses – are benefiting from the construction of Bilston’s new leisure centre.
“It will of course be a fantastic facility for the people of Bilston and the surrounding areas and I am very pleased that local residents are already playing a pivotal role in making it a reality.”
Shepherd Construction is building the new £14.9 million leisure centre on behalf of Wolverhampton City Council as the first element of the Bilston Urban Village regeneration project.
Due to open for the first time in the summer of 2011, it will create 33 full time jobs and comprise an eight-lane, 25m swimming pool, learner pool, health and fitness suite, four squash courts, a sports hall, café and meeting room.