Sport and leisure in the Western Isles has received a massive boost with the opening of the new Lewis Sports Centre. In the first thirty days following its opening in December last year Ionad Spòrs Leòdhais had 10500 paying customers (the same number of users as used to visit the old sports centre in three months).

There were over 12000 swims at the new pool in the first three months of opening whilst the Soft Play has attracted over 2500 visits. Over 2100 Adult User Cards have been issued.

The 6 court Games Hall is operating at maximum capacity every evening and there have been over 150 inductions on the Climbing Wall.

Many people new to the sport are taking up squash through Junior coaching and Ladies sessions whilst the dance studio is being well used for a range of classes and other activites, training courses and meetings.

Club Isle Fitness Centre is attracting a wide range of users enjoing state of the art equipment whilst the GP Exercise Referral Scheme is bringing in many clients who previously did little exercise.

Chairman of Arts and Leisure, Cllr Malcolm J Graham, said:”This is a fantastic response to the opening of Ionad Spòrs Leòdhais. The facts speak for themselves and I am delighted that the centre is being so well used. By bringing more people into sporting activites we are helping to improve the health of our communities and at the same time, people are having a lot of fun!”

With the Island Games fast approaching, the sports centre received further praise when Members of the International Island Games Association recently visited Lewis. Delegates from 24 Islands across the world, themselves all experts in the area of sport, were impressed with the new centre describing Ionad Spòrs Leòdhais as a ‘jewel in the crown of island facilities’.

Nigel Scott
Communications Officer
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

Tel: 01851 709389 (Work)
Tel: 07884 236103 (Mobile)
email: nscott@cne-siar.gov.uk