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Have we wasted a sporting chance?
£7 million has been spent on the famous Aldersley stadium. But critics argue that the project has been a
lost opportunity. Susan Leigh reports
Aug 7, 2002, 10:54am
A £7 million refurbishment at Aldersley Stadium was supposed to bring Wolverhampton into the 21st
Century but, in reality, what have we got?
We have a six-lane running track at the 44-acre city-council owned stadium when, if we want to even
begin to compete on a professional level, eight lanes are imperative.
The 460-metre cycling track is not up to standard and has instead been "patched up" as attempts to
completely resurface it failed because of complex technical problems.
Specialist consultants have advised that the ideal solution would be to rebuild the track. But the estimated
£400,000 cost could not be justified.
And spectators, unless they are tall enough, have to fight to get to the front to see whatever sporting event
they came down to watch due to a lack of seating. So what has the £7 million been spent on at what is now known as Aldersley Leisure Village?
There is the indoor sports hall housing the long jump, pole vault, high jump and other facilities such as
badminton, cricket, indoor bowls and a multi gym. And there are the £240,000 floodlit tennis and netball courts as well as the hockey and football pitches, but even then there have been problems with the drainage.
"All we wanted was a first class stadium to take us into the 21st Century, but what we have in reality is a
facility which is not even second rate," says Councillor Barry Findlay, whose ward covers Aldersley.
The £7 million refurbishment started in 1998 and with one more phase to go to "tidy up", people are
already saying the work, which is due to be completed next autumn, has been a waste of money.
Councillor Findlay adds: "The council has not actually delivered what we thought it was going to deliver. It
was really great for all the different sports to get together and support the bids that went in, but the end product is a disgrace."
Councillor Findlay says they had to encourage youngsters into becoming sporting champions of the future
but, with facilities not up to scratch, what chance do they have?
"There has been a lack of management and quality control over this project. Wolverhampton is a city and
should have a prestigious sports facility," he adds.
David Guest, coaching secretary of Wolverhampton and Bilston Athletics Club, says they too were very
disappointed. He cites a number of problems including the running track needing to be brought up to UK athletic standards and the wrong sand being put into the three sandpits used for long jump and triple jump.
He adds the Tannoy system was not loud enough to be heard in a full stadium. "There is also nowhere for
the timekeepers to sit, no commentary box and we lost the grandstand and clubhouse," says Mr Guest.
"The cycle track is also preventing us from having eight lanes and the football pitch in the middle means we
cannot use it for, for example, discus in case it wrecked the ground."
Wolverhampton City Council's cabinet member Councillor Geoff Patten says a lot of money had been
spent and it was still not at the required standard for holding any competitions or to cater for top athletes.
"People have to go abroad to train because there are a lack of facilities in this country. We used to have a
wonderful supply of athletes for all different events in Wolverhampton and now we hardly provide any at all.
Antony Spittle, of Wolverhampton Small Bore Rifle Association, says Aldersley once hosted international
events and produced many national and international champions from the three residential sports of athletics, cycling and small bore rifle shooting.
He says nothing had yet been spent on the outdoor rifle range which was now derelict, vandalised and
unused since the loss of the Ministry of Defence safety certificate as a result of non-refurbishment.
"We were kept waiting for so long and nothing happened. The council felled some trees onto our firing
point and it is a total mess. The whole management needs looking into very closely. Exactly where the money went and how it was allocated," he adds.
The council's leisure portfolio holder Councillor Bob Jones says notice has been served on the
Wolverhampton Small Bore Rifle Association to terminate its lease which was about to expire. He says the range was now derelict because the association had not spent any money refurbishing it.
Councillor Jones says they were currently in consultation with other shooting disciplines including the small
bore rifle association with a view to providing a similar facility.
But he claims they received no co-operation from the association which had refused to attend any
meetings.
"Aldersley is an excellent first class facility but not every sport is going to have exactly what they wanted,"
he adds. "We have 20 different sports and the majority of facilities are infinitely better than what they had before.
"We made sure that everything was absolutely right before paying for it and, on one occasion, we brought
in different contractors because we were not happy. There is effective and tight financial control on the funds of this refurbishment and all I would say is for people to go down and have a look for themselves." |