Southwark (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Canada Water Leisure Centre’s spring 2025 opening has been delayed, with Southwark Council yet to confirm a revised launch date for the long-awaited facility.
The nearly 60-year-old Seven Islands Leisure Centre will be replaced by the new facility, which boasts cutting-edge amenities like a learner pool with a movable surface, an 8-lane, 25-meter swimming pool, a 4-court sports hall, a 150-station gym, and three group workout studios.
The council’s leisure website now merely says “opening soon,” yet ads in Surrey Quays Shopping Centre still show the past spring opening date.
Getting everything working with outside contractors is said to be the cause of the delay.
When approached for comment, a council spokesperson said:
“We’re looking forward to opening the doors to Canada Water Leisure Centre and sharing an opening date soon.
The centre is taking shape as we work on the fit out with contractors, install equipment and prepare for a safe and exciting opening. We look forward to welcoming our first visitors soon.”
Due to environmental concerns, the council earlier this year decided that a sauna and steam room would not be included in the facility.
According to Councillor Portia Mwangangye, Cabinet Member for Leisure, Parks, and Young People, this choice was required to obtain an “excellent” BREEAM sustainability certification and was a part of the Southwark council’s larger decarbonization agenda.
The council has not yet released an updated opening schedule for the facility, despite having previously addressed concerns over pool-related issues, such as a leak that was fixed last year.
Residents of the area are still waiting for more information about when they will be able to use these new facilities.
What are the main reasons for the further delays in opening the new centre?
The whole timetable may be impacted by cascading delays and rework caused by coordination problems when one trade must wait for another to finish before beginning.
In the construction sector, a chronic lack of qualified labor slows down development and raises expenses, which greatly contributes to project delays.
Timeliness can be impacted by building activities being stopped or slowed down due to supply chain interruptions and lengthy lead periods for essential components.
Rework is frequently necessary due to last-minute design changes or misunderstandings, which throw off schedules and create confusion on the job site.
Unpredictable weather conditions, such intense rain or intense heat, can prolong project timeframes by lowering worker productivity and delaying material deliveries.
Delays can be made worse by inadequate planning, impractical scheduling, and poor stakeholder communication.