Issue 38 - Summer 2012 - Wigan Council

Facilities abig hit withthe publicTHE Life Centre has wowedthe experts but its alreadyproved to be a big hit withthe people of WiganBorough.Latest figures show thatsince opening, more than100,000 have been throughthe doors of the HealthyLiving Zone for a swim,more than 78,000 have usedthe gym, 19,000 have let offsteam in the sauna whilstmore than 12,000 havebanded together for groupfitness. In fact, the numberof people using leisureservices offered at the LifeCentre has increased by 10per cent each month.There are 22 local schoolsusing the facility alongsideboth Wigan swimmingteams.On the other side of thetown hall the Communityand Learning Zone, whichopened to the public inJanuary, has seen more than21,160 people visit the siteto use the library or thehost of public, voluntaryand community services onoffer.The new ways of workingat the Life Centre meansthat people get the helpthey need quickly. Forexample, more than 88 percent of people who have aquery about benefits get ananswer immediately orwithin 24 hours. Customersatisfaction is running at 99per cent – beating thetarget the council set itselfof 90 per cent.Leader of Wigan Council,Lord Peter Smith, said: “TheLife Centre has given ourborough a new civic heartand is already proving to bethe catalyst to revitalisingthe town centre andmodernising the linkbetween the council andthe people it serves.“We are delighted thatthe project has beenrecognised with such amajor industry-leadingaward. Just as important isthe number of people whoare using the Life Centre,getting the help they needquickly to take the steps toimprove their lives and theopportunities available tothem.”AND THE WINNER IS… THE WIGAN LIFE CENTRETOP DOG AT THE‘OSCARS’WIGAN Borough’s mostgroundbreaking impressivepublic services property‘hub’ The Wigan Life Centre,has been hailed as the bestin the North West in theregion’s annual property‘Oscars’ awards.The twin buildings eitherside of Wigan Town Hall hasreceived the RoyalInstitution of CharteredSurveyors (RICS) prize forthe best ‘Regeneration’project anywhere in theNorth West this year.RICS judges toured theLife Centre complex earlierthis year to find out moreabout the project and theeffect it has had on localpeople.They were looking for thereasons behind the creationof the Life Centre, whatproblems it has helped toovercome and what thelong-term benefits will be.The Life Centre battled itout against 39 of theNorth West’sprojects to pickup the award.TheRegenerationaward went toWigan LifeCentre for whatthe judgesdescribed as one ofthe most ambitiouscouncil projectsever undertaken in thecountry. Developed inresponse to local residentswanting improved access topublic services, the£200million one-stop shophas brought much-neededjobs and investment into thetown and features threezones – Healthy Living,Information and Learningand Neighbourhoods, whereresidents can get access to awide range of amenities andservices.Facilities include a stateof-the-arthealth and fitnesssuite with swimming poolsand a comprehensivelibrary withcomputers and learning areas.RICS judges said WiganLife Centre offers all thepublic services you dependon in a modern, friendlyenvironment – making lifeeasier and more enjoyablefor residents.Jane Thompson, Chairmanof the RICS regional judgingpanel said: “Wigan LifeCentre is an outstandingexample of regenerationwhich illustrates the talentand skills of our region’sproperty professionals.”The Life Centre now goesforward to representWigan Borough inthe national versionof the RICS awardswhich will be held inSeptember.22 BOROUGH LIFE Summer 2012