February 19, 2018 2.26 pm This story is over 80 months old

Birchwood gets physical: Take a tour of transformed leisure centre

Birchwood Leisure Centre in Lincoln has been fully reopened after a £1.5 million refurbishment. New facilities include a modern spinning studio with cinema-style, immersive workouts, a children’s soft play area and a climbing wall. The City of Lincoln Council, which runs the centre, declared the new-look facility open to the public on Monday, February 19.…

Birchwood Leisure Centre in Lincoln has been fully reopened after a £1.5 million refurbishment.

New facilities include a modern spinning studio with cinema-style, immersive workouts, a children’s soft play area and a climbing wall.

The City of Lincoln Council, which runs the centre, declared the new-look facility open to the public on Monday, February 19.

Photo: Stuart Wilde

Photo: Stuart Wilde

Photo: Stuart Wilde

Photo: Stuart Wilde

Photo: Stuart Wilde

Photo: Stuart Wilde

Photo: Stuart Wilde

Photo: Stuart Wilde

Photo: Stuart Wilde

Photo: Stuart Wilde

Photo: Stuart Wilde

Photo: Stuart Wilde

Photo: Stuart Wilde

Photo: Stuart Wilde

Photo: Stuart Wilde

Also in the centre is a new Costa-licensed cafe, toning room and a fitness suite twice the size of the previous facility.

The council said its hi-tech cycling studio is a particular highlight, giving gym bunnies the chance to cycle through the old Wild West or choose a post-apocalyptic city.

Simon Colburn, Assistant Director for Health and Environmental Services said: “This studio really is a first for Lincoln, and it’s something that not many people will have seen before.

“The idea of being taken away to another world while you exercise rather than being in a stuffy room with nothing to look at is going to be appealing to people of all ages and abilities.

“Combined with all the other new features such as the climbing wall and play area, we are very proud of what we’ve achieved at Birchwood Leisure Centre, and the feedback we’ve received so far has been very positive.”

The project began in July 2017 and was expected to be open in October.

Works initially caused some upset with users of the Birchwood Social Club, which has been lost in the revamp along with the centre’s squash courts and sport hall. Around 450 people signed a petition to save the club.