EDINBURGH’S Lord Provost has paid tribute to a local leisure centre for its national award-winning success.
The Rt Hon Lord Provost and Lord Lieutenant of the City of Edinburgh, Robert Aldridge, visited Gracemount Leisure Centre yesterday to regonise its outstanding achievement in community fitness and wellbeing.
The leisure centre was recently named Scotland’s Centre of the Year at the UKactive awards, after seeing a commendable 14% increase in visits between 2022 and 2023.
The centre’s managers Craig Cassidy and Jen Murray led Robert on a tour around the facilities, aiming to highlight its contribution to community health and inclusion.
The UKactive awards recognised Gracemount’s commitment to meeting community needs through a rigorous assessment process including written submissions, customer surveys, mystery shopping, and digital reviews.
The centre’s recent success is attributed to several key initiatives, including a major gym refurbishment featuring new Life Fitness equipment, leading to an increase in class participation from 226 to 706 customers monthly.
The centre has also developed an extensive additional support needs programme, including multi-sports activities and specialised family swimming sessions which support over 100 families.
It has implemented its Active Communities programme, providing access to hundreds of people affected by health conditions, disabilities, inequality and poverty.
Working alongside community partners such as health professionals and social workers, projects such as Steady Steps for people at risk of a fall; Open All Hours, which gives local youngsters free access to diversionary activities on a Friday night; and Looked After & Active for care-experienced children and young people make an active life more accessible.
The centre says it has also invested in staff development and wellbeing, which has resulted in customer service scores of 9.5/10.
Gracemount Leisure Centre manager Craig Cassidy said: “We’re so much more than just a gym or a swimming pool – it’s a friendly and bustling community hub at the heart of the local area.
“With staff who go out of their way to make customers feel at home, it’s somewhere people feel inspired and empowered to live happy, healthy and active lives.”
