Crystal Palace National Sports Centre investment welcomed as venue looked like it’s “rotting away”

By Joe Coughlan, Local Democracy Reporter

Residents have welcomed improvements planned for the National Sports Centre in Crystal Palace, claiming the space is currently a “joke” and looks like it’s “rotting away”.

The Mayor of London announced last week that he would be carrying out a number of improvements to the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre.

The investment, reportedly within the single millions, will look at repairing the outdoor athletics track and replacing the existing floodlights.

Indoor facilities will also be upgraded such as the fitness gym, the climbing walls and a potential children’s activity centre.

Oliver Isaac, 20, lives in Biggin Hill but said he and his family often come to Crystal Palace Park to walk the dog. Having grown up visiting the park, he said it was “about time” the sports centre received an update.

Mr Isaac said: “I’m happy to hear that. I’ve been coming here since I was a little kid so it’s nice to see they’re finally fixing the place up. It’s like watching something rot away.”

The dog walker said it’s been “depressing” to see parks and facilities from his childhood falling into disrepair over the years. He said he feels like many public spaces in the area need a wave of gentrification to bring the interest back to them.

He said: “This place looks like it’s still in the 60s… I’ve always walked past it, I’ve watched a few things here. I can’t say I’ve ever used it, but when you leave a building long enough, it becomes an eyesore.”

A long-term investment over the next five years was also announced on May 26 to rebuild the structure of the centre’s swimming pools, among other facilities.

The 50 metre and diving pools have been closed since March 2020 due to a leak coming from a crack.

Andy Show, 42, lives in Crystal Palace and said he had found the pools’ closure “frustrating”. Despite this, he said he appreciated the new investment and felt any news was “good news”.

He said: “It’s a bit of a joke… It’s a shame. This place is the jewel of Crystal Palace right? It’s an attraction.”

He added: “It’s good something’s moving forward. The [athletics] track is going to benefit a lot of people which is great. The pool is, for me, the priority. For it to just sit there, empty, is insane. It’s been like three years.”

A Mayor of London spokesman said in a statement that a planning application for the centre’s comprehensive redevelopment will be brought forward by April 2024, with the long term investment in repairs believed to be in the tens of millions.

A Crystal Palace Sports Partnership spokesman said they were delighted to hear of the Mayor’s investment into the sports venue.

They said the partnership had been campaigning for repairs to the centre since 2014 and felt its partial closure was due to a “managed decline” of the facilities.

Picture 3: Oliver Isaac, 20, said it was “about time” the sports centre received an update (Picture: Joe Coughlan)