We want our residents to have the best leisure provision on offer across the borough and we have taken a major step towards achieving that by bringing three of our leisure centres back under the direct control of the council.

We knew action needed to be taken and by listening to our residents, we also know the changes that need to happen to make our leisure centres welcoming for everyone to use.

Park Road, Broadwater Farm and Tottenham Green leisure centres will now form part of our ambitious plans to provide a comprehensive Active Wellbeing offer and this feels like a brand new era.

I was delighted to attend Tottenham Green on Tuesday and speak to our leisure centre staff members as we mark a fresh start for this provision here in Haringey.

Some much-needed refurbishment work has already begun, with deep cleans and some essential maintenance taking place as part of a six-day handover period so that the three sites are well-maintained when they reopen on Monday, October 7.

Peray Ahmet has listened to residents about changes needed in leisure centresPeray Ahmet has listened to residents about changes needed in leisure centres (Image: Haringey Council) Change does not happen overnight, but we will be adopting a phased approach to the works that are necessary, with the refurbishment set to continue for the next six months as part of the significant investment programme approved by this administration in December 2023.

We have engaged extensively with the respective memberships of the three facilities and the wider Haringey community at large on the types of activities and services they would like us to offer them across the borough.

We will be carrying on those collaborative and constructive conversations with our leisure centre members and staff, as well as Haringey residents and other stakeholders, in the coming months too as we strive to cater our provision to meet the needs of our diverse communities.

That’s fundamentally important to us as we begin this journey together.

If you’ve got an idea or a suggestion as to how you’d like to see the service improvements implemented on-site, please come forward and let us know by raising it with a member of our staff.

Rest assured, our message is abundantly clear – we want to work with you all to provide the very best provision we possibly can now and in the future.

Whether you’re an active, lapsed or new member, you should see a distinct difference in the standard of leisure provision in Haringey going forward.

  • Cllr Peray Ahmet is leader of Haringey Council.