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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Travel
John Baron

South Leeds sports centre campaigners to meet council leader

south leeds sports centre protest
Residents in Beeston and Holbeck marched to save South Leeds Sports Centre last month Photograph: John Baron/guardian.co.uk

An open letter signed by more than 500 people will be presented to the leader of Leeds council in a bid to stop a community sports centre closing.

Members of the Splashback campaign, who are fighting to prevent the closure of the South Leeds Sports Centre in Beeston, will present the letter to councillor Keith Wakefield on Friday evening alongside local residents and centre users.

The centre - which has been earmarked for closure following the recent opening of the refurbished Morley Leisure Centre - was recently given a four-month stay of execution.

The extension allows a social enterprise based at nearby Hillside - Tiger 11 - to put together formal and detailed plans which could see the facility taken into community control.

The open letter to Wakefield reiterates how critical the centre is to South Leeds residents in Beeston and Holbeck, which is one of the most deprived areas in Britain.

Sally Cieslik from Splashback said:

"We are looking forward to having the opportunity to show councillor Wakefield at first hand our centre and explain to him exactly how essential it is to the South Leeds community, whether they be young, old or vulnerable.

"While we are delighted that the centre is going to be open over the school summer holidays, albeit with reduced opening hours, we need to remember this is only a temporary stay of execution and we need to keep fighting for a sustainable, longer term solution."

In 2006, local residents ran a successful campaign to keep the centre open.

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