Waves makes a splash

 

30-MAR-09

Issued by: Duncan Bennett

Waves, North Tyneside's new leisure pool, opens today following an investment worth over £6million.

The former Whitley Bay Leisure Pool closed in June 2007 to be transformed into a state-of-the-art attraction.

It is now one of the best leisure facilities in the region and a major attraction for visitors to the coast.

Waves, which is situated on The Links, is part of North Tyneside Council's £22.5 million investment in a £64million regeneration programme for Whitley Bay.

And it forms part of a wider investment in sports and leisure facilities across the borough worth around £30million.

Waves' features include:

- A fully refurbished pool and wave machine

- Three water slides with racing traffic lights leading into a splash pool

- A kids' pirate ship action-packed with slides and water pumps

- New ground floor soft play area and coffee shop

- State-of-the-art Contours gym

- Fully air conditioned dance studio with sprung floor and mirrored walls

- Luxurious spa area, including spa pool, sauna cabins, steam rooms, foot spa, heated relaxation beds and hydrotherapy baths

- New changing village.

North Tyneside's elected mayor John Harrison said: "Waves is one of the best leisure facilities in the region.

"The old leisure pool has been completely transformed into a modern, high quality attraction that people are going to really enjoy.

"And it forms a key element in the ongoing regeneration of Whitley Bay which will deliver a vibrant and successful future for the area."

Mr Harrison will unveil a plaque as part of the opening ceremony, which starts at 10.30am. The centre will open to the public at 12.30pm.

Among those present at the opening event will be Monskeaton Middle School pupil Owen Greenwell who won the competition to find a new name for the pool when he suggested 'Waves'. As well as receiving a prize cheque for £200, Owen and his classmates were invited to play in the pool during the opening event.

Costing £500,000, the original Whitley Bay Leisure Pool was officially opened by Alderman Jim Toft on March 23, 1974.

Some of Waves' features include:

Swimming pools

There is a large swimming pool as well as a learner pool. Waves has a new wave machine, which can produce bigger and more varied waves than its predecessor.

It also has its very own pirate ship, The Rock Hopper, named by Sasha Henderson, a pupil at Whitley Lodge First School. Aboard the ship are mini slides and water squirting geysers. There is also a tipping water treasure chest and water squirting animals in the play area.

There are three new water slides featuring racing traffic lights to see who can make it down the quickest. The slides lead into their own splash pool, which means more scope for using the main pool for swimming sessions in lanes.

The changing area includes single, double, family and group changing cubicles, individual buggy parking spaces, baby changing facilities, a vanity area and an accessible changing room for disabled visitors.

Contours gym

The Contours gym suite features 15 resistance stations, eight bikes (upright and recumbent), eight treadmills, eight cross trainers, five rowers, two climbers and two ergometers. All the cardio-vascular equipment has personal television screens, so people can watch their own choice of programme as they train.

The suite features the Fitlinxx system, which monitors exercise levels. It records every attendance and what activity/exercise has been completed. The system can even be accessed at home and sends customers reports on their performance and exercise levels for the week.

Spa area

The luxurious spa area is one of Waves' most exciting features. It includes:

Spa pool - a warm water pool featuring hydrotherapy jets
Saunarium - works at much lower temperatures than a sauna - around 50 degrees - and at increased humidity.
Steam room - features temperatures from 40 to 45 degrees and virtually 100 per cent humidity
Salt inhalation room - creates temperatures over 40 degrees and almost 100 per cent humidity. It injects eucalyptus and menthol essences into the steam
Relaxation beds - For muscle relaxation between spa treatments
Sauna cabin - Low humidity combined with temperatures of 85 to 90 degrees
Foot spas - Massages and stimulates pressure points in the feet and ankles
Ice bucket shower - an invigorating torrent odd refreshing cold water that stimulates circulation
Hydrotherapy baths - Underwater jets massage muscles in the same way as a hydrotherapeutic massage.

The spa area is due to open around a week after Waves' opening. This slight delay is due to a technical difficulty.

Longer opening hours

Following feedback, the pool will be open an extra 11 ? hours each week. The pool and gym will open at 7am on weekdays and 8am at weekends when it originally opened at 9am. It will also be open until 9.30pm on weekdays.

Soft play

Out of the water, younger children can enjoy the soft play, which has a teeny tots area for toddlers.

Dance studio

The large dance studio is fully air-conditioned and is ideal for fitness and dance classes with is sprung floor and mirrored wall.

Caffe ape

Already established at The Lakeside Centre, Killingworth, Caffe ape offers high quality, Fairtrade and organic produce.

Note to editors:

Waves is part of the £64 million regeneration scheme for Whitley Bay.

The first phase of external and structural work to the Dome is near completion and the potential hotel site has recently been marketed.

The skate park opened in the summer has recently been short listed for a national award by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.

The Playhouse will reopen in autumn following an £8m refurbishment and improvement programme.

ENDS