David Weir opens Waddon Leisure Centre

David Weir & school children posing with his medals

Last night, the Paralympian David Weir CBE came to Waddon to officially open Waddon Leisure Centre. It was amazing to meet him after his incredible achievement at the recent London 2012 Paralympic Games of winning four gold medals. School children were inspired by him and proudly showed off his medals to us all.

The Mayor of Croydon, Councillor Eddy Arram and the Leader of the Council, Councillor Mike Fisher also attended to officially open the Centre. Those present were proud and delighted that this day had finally arrived and cannot wait to use the facilities.  

Sitting at the very heart of the community it will transform Waddon and is a project that as a Council we are all tremendously proud of delivering after an election pledge in 2006. It is a fitting tribute that three rooms were named after three local community activists; the late Frank Fadden, whose wife Grace was present and very proud; the late Councillor Jonathan Driver and Peter Collier, who attended and brought along his delighted family. The rooms are called- the Frank Fadden Community Room, the Peter Collier Fitness Studio and the Jonathan Driver Swimming Pool.

What’s really special about Waddon Leisure Centre is that it is equipped for people with disabilities and David Weir was very pleased to see that disabled people were able to access the swimming pool via a wheelchair pit and promised to use it himself.

I hope you will get involved and use the leisure centre and remember to tell your friends and family all about it!

Musing on the Nestle move

Yesterday Property Week announced that Nestle were leaving Croydon after 47 years in the borough after signing a deal to relocate to City Place in Crawley, just outside Gatwick Airport.

This news was confirmed today by all parties and Cllr Mike Fisher, Leader of Croydon Council expressed his disappointment at this decision stating that:

“We are obviously very disappointed that Nestlé has decided to leave the borough after more than 40 years.

“We have done everything we possibly could to avoid this outcome, but ultimately we have to respect the fact that Nestle are a footloose global company and can choose where they locate their business.”

However current Nestle staff can take comfort in the fact that the location is not as far away as some previously predicted as most of them will be able to commute to the new offices. The Council has also pledged to offer Nestle any support that they need to ensure that staff can make a smooth transition. Another bonus is that relations between the two boroughs are positive as both are partners in the Coast to Capital Local Economic Partnership (LEP) 

Whilst this is disappointing news if we continue to focus on regenerating the town centre then we will be able to attract potential investors, creating a place where people want to live and an economy that links outer London to Gatwick and the world.