Deeside Leisure Centre set for phased reopening in late summer with new look gym and redesigned skate park

Aura Leisure, the organisation which runs Deeside Leisure Centre has said the site will begin a phased reopening during late summer.

Aura has said the leisure centre will return with a new look gym, a redesigned skate park and the ice rink will reopen.

The leisure centre closed at the start of the pandemic and the popular skate park – one of the largest in Europe – was ripped out to make way for a 250 bed temporary hospital.

The field hospital – which was built to boost capacity in North East Wales – began to admit patients in November as a second wave of Coronavirus infections took hold.

The number of patients being treated in Deeside Rainbow Hospital is now at the lowest since it came into operation.

According to latest daily figures published by Statistics Wales, four patients remain at the Leisure Centre based hospital.

A temporary hospital ward replaced the popular skate park last year

An Aura spokesperson said today, we are “currently working with key partners, Flintshire County Council and the Health Board, in relation to the return of Deeside Leisure Centre to its original purpose.”

“We are hopeful of returning during late summer with a phased re-opening of our sports and community facilities likely to follow.”

“The team at Deeside is looking forward to welcoming back our loyal customers with a new look gym, a redesigned skate park and, of course, the return of the ice rink. We can’t wait to see you all again!”

We asked Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board last week, “when will the Deeside Rainbow Hospital be stood down from taking in new patients” whilst they did respond, they were unable to give any firm information or dates.

Earlier this month a senior Flintshire Council officer said some facilities at the Deeside site – which is also being used as a mass vaccination centre – could potentially be made available from as soon as June, depending on the requirements of the health board.

He also provided assurance that people will still have access to the same services as before, including the Olympic-sized ice rink.

Addressing the issue at a virtual meeting of councillors held on March 10, Flintshire Council’s chief officer for housing and assets, Neal Cockerton, said: “The Rainbow hospital will move out, the internal areas will be refurbished or brought back to a standard that is suitable for leisure provision and it will continue on its journey as a leisure centre.”

“That’s always been the case from the start of this.”

“The issue about how quickly that is going to happen, the point I’d make there is it’s a main regional vaccination centre at the moment and will continue to be.”

“The conversation is around how long we’re going to have to wait to get the facility back, but that’s not anticipated to be long because we’re also already planning an exit strategy for the Rainbow hospitals.” Mr Cockerton said.