Last updated at 20:38, Thursday, 16 August 2012

With timing as impeccable as Mo Farah, new £10 million leisure centre plans for Workington are revealed today.

The buzzword ever since those fantastic Olympic games has been “legacy”.

Today’s statement of intent about improving local sports facilities clearly touches on that.

Allerdale council leader Alan Smith rightly stresses the value of sport.

It creates aspiration, combats anti-social behaviour, teaches teamwork and individual excellence, and boosts health and wellbeing.

But better facilities are certainly required.

Many people will question the wisdom of pursuing this goal during a recession, when the council is cutting back hard on spending.

And, of course, we’ve been down this road before with the failed super stadium project, then another scaled-back leisure centre plan that was ditched on grounds of cost by the last council administration.

So, what’s changed? It’s not simply the idea of Olympic “legacy” that makes Allerdale council put better sports facilities close to the top of its agenda; there’s also some necessity.

The council spends huge sums maintaining the present rundown Workington Leisure Centre; it’s money largely wasted, and it can be better spent.

Funding and location issues will be major hurdles, but we certainly encourage the aim.

This project is still on the starting blocks, but we hope that it happens.

First published at 19:22, Thursday, 16 August 2012
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk