Cash to support Torridge’s leisure center and culture

Torridge Council will invest nearly £1 million of the Government’s Rural Prosperity Fund into improving the energy efficiency of its leisure center and revitalizing its culture.

Burton Art Gallery in Bideford will receive £20,000, Holsworthy Amateur Drama Society (HATS) will receive £10,000 and Plow Arts Center in Torrington will receive £20,000.

A further £50,000 will be spent on leisure facilities run by Active Torridge on behalf of the council, the Torridge Leisure Centers in Northam and Torrington, and the swimming pool in Holsworthy.

Funding from Defra’s England Local Prosperity Fund is also being used for a community infrastructure project at Victoria Park in Bideford, with £150,000 of work expected to begin in the coming weeks, including a new play area and park for all ages. renovation is planned. Great Torrington Market Hall opened to the public just before Christmas.

A £200,000 refurbishment of the iconic 1842 Hall and Pannier Market places the Grade II listed building on English Heritage’s ‘At Risk’ register After being done.

The city’s Community and Resources Committee heard the funding would save money on future leisure centres, at a time when similar local leisure centers are closing due to high operating costs. They unanimously approved the latest funding allocation.

It would also prevent costs from being passed on to the public, officials said.

Some of the works proposed to save energy include replacing windows and a new pool cover at Torrington Pool and replacing the main entrance to reduce heat loss at Torrington. The council will consider lighting, pumps, energy management, microfiltration and solar power generation.

Active Torridge has submitted a bid to Sport England for energy efficiency measures at all three leisure centres, but the grant is only expected to cover the cost of solar panels.

The council has also applied for £1.7 million in government funding to decarbonise Holsworthy Pool.

The council said the funding would give organizations more financial stability.