Bletchley Centre
Encyclopedia
The Bletchley Leisure Centre is an indoor leisure facility in Milton Keynes
, Buckinghamshire, England
.
The new Bletchley Leisure Centre opened in 2009 replacing the original centre next door to it.
The original centre opened in the 1970s replacing the outdoor queens pool, the centre was quite iconic with its pyramid building that housed the pool. Until the 1990s it also had a multi storey car park with a snake like walkway that went from the carpark to the centre reception.
When the new centre opened the old one was demolished and the site was cleared for housing and a new multi storey carpark. Some people tried to get the pyramid building listed to prevent demolition.
The old centre housed a 907-seat capacity sports hall which was the former home of professional basketball
club Milton Keynes Lions
. The Leisure Centre has been home to the Lions basketball team since 1998, when the Hemel Hempstead Royals later Watford Royals relocated
here.
The Milton Keynes Lions had planned to move into Arena:MK
, a new 4,500-seat arena at the stadium:mk site in Denbigh, Milton Keynes, before the start of the 2008-2009 season. However, completion of this arena has been delayed due deferral of proposed commercial developments around the site (which would have funded the build). The Lions original home in Bletchley became scheduled for demolition, leaving the club searching urgently for a new base. Subsequently, the Lions obtained agreement to play their home games in Middleton Hall in Central Milton Keynes
. The Lions subsequently moved to a warehouse in Grafton Gate
, having converted it into a 1,400-seat basketball arena and practice venue.
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
, Buckinghamshire, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
The new Bletchley Leisure Centre opened in 2009 replacing the original centre next door to it.
The original centre opened in the 1970s replacing the outdoor queens pool, the centre was quite iconic with its pyramid building that housed the pool. Until the 1990s it also had a multi storey car park with a snake like walkway that went from the carpark to the centre reception.
When the new centre opened the old one was demolished and the site was cleared for housing and a new multi storey carpark. Some people tried to get the pyramid building listed to prevent demolition.
The old centre housed a 907-seat capacity sports hall which was the former home of professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
club Milton Keynes Lions
Milton Keynes Lions
The Milton Keynes Lions, officially called Prestige Homes Milton Keynes Lions due to sponsorship, is a basketball team which represents Milton Keynes in the British Basketball League, the top level men's basketball league in the United Kingdom. The franchise’s only trophy success to-date is the BBL...
. The Leisure Centre has been home to the Lions basketball team since 1998, when the Hemel Hempstead Royals later Watford Royals relocated
Relocation of professional sports teams
Relocation of professional sports teams is a practice which involves a sporting franchise moving from one metropolitan area to another, although occasionally moves between municipalities in the same conurbation are also included...
here.
The Milton Keynes Lions had planned to move into Arena:MK
Arena:MK
The Arena:MK is a planned 4,500-seat multi-purpose arena in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England, but construction work has been delayed by the credit crunch It remains planned to be the home of the Milton Keynes Lions of the British Basketball League, replacing their current venue Bletchley...
, a new 4,500-seat arena at the stadium:mk site in Denbigh, Milton Keynes, before the start of the 2008-2009 season. However, completion of this arena has been delayed due deferral of proposed commercial developments around the site (which would have funded the build). The Lions original home in Bletchley became scheduled for demolition, leaving the club searching urgently for a new base. Subsequently, the Lions obtained agreement to play their home games in Middleton Hall in Central Milton Keynes
Central Milton Keynes
Central Milton Keynes is the central business district of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England and a civil parish in its own right.The district is approximately 2.5 km long by 1 km wide and occupies some of the highest land in Milton Keynes...
. The Lions subsequently moved to a warehouse in Grafton Gate
Central Milton Keynes
Central Milton Keynes is the central business district of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England and a civil parish in its own right.The district is approximately 2.5 km long by 1 km wide and occupies some of the highest land in Milton Keynes...
, having converted it into a 1,400-seat basketball arena and practice venue.