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The HISTORY of REDDITCH New Town

Abbey Stadium

The Abbey Stadium sports centre pre-
dates the New Town development but
was a key element of the strategy of
providing sports and leisure facilities in
the town.
It has undergone many proposals to
develop and upgrade its facilities over
the last 50 years, including snow domes,
hotels, multi-screen cinemas to name
just a few. Most of these have fallen by
the wayside, often the controversy over
a route for the Bordesley By-pass being
the stumbling block.
In 1992 development work at the stadium included a new all-weather running track but
2011 saw the most controversial proposal. The centre had major developments including
a new swimming pool, but the plans to
heat the pool from waste heat from the
neighbouring crematorium was a step too
far for many people.
Despite the protests, the scheme went
ahead and finally became operational in
2013 and is now recognised as a ground
breaking environmental initiative.

Today the Abbey Stadium complex
comprises a wide range of wet and dry
facilities providing activities for all the
family, including a 25 metre and learner
swimming pools, a fitness suite offering
nearly 100 pieces of state of the art
equipment and 2 exercise studios boasting over 40 classes per week for all ages and
abilities, such as body pump, body combat. pilates, yoga, spin classes and more.

The centre also has a 5 court, multi use
sportshall providing a wide range of
activities such as badminton, five a side
football, roller discos, gymnastics and
trampolining clubs, boxercise classes and
many more.

Outdoor facilities consist of 2 full-sized
football pitches available for hire and an
8 lane synthetic, floodlit athletics track
which is home to the local Bromsgrove
and Redditch Athletics Club. This can also
be used as floodlit football pitch for
matches and training purposes.

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