Sport and leisure facilities now taking bookings ahead of reopening
From today, Monday, September 7, Orkney Islands Council will be taking bookings for a range of their sport and leisure facilities.
Facilities such as the Dounby Centre, KGS and Stromness Swimming Pool are set to reopen from September 14.
Bookings forms for the following facilities can be found here — under the related downloads sections:
- Dounby Centre
- Grass Pitches
- Kirkwall Community Centre and Town Hall
- KGS Sports Centre
- KGS Weddings/Events
- Stromness Community Centre and Town Hall
- Stromness Swimming Pool
To book into fitness classes, gym sessions, pool sessions or a meeting/event space please see below:
- KGS Sports Centre — Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm, 873535 and during evenings and weekends, 872364, or email: kirkwallsportscentre@glow.orkneyschools.org.uk.
- Dounby — 771280 in the evenings during opening hours or email: dounbycentre@glow.orkneyschools.org.uk
- Stromness Community Centre and Town Hall — 850712 or email: leisure.culture@orkney.gov.uk
- Kirkwall Community Centre and Town Hall — 873354 or email: leisure.culture@orkney.gov.uk
- Stromness Swimming Pool and Fitness Centre — 850552 during opening hours or email: stromness.pool@glow.orkneyschools.org.uk.
- Hope Healthy Living Centre — email: hope.hlc@glow.orkneyschools.org.uk
Alternatively, bookings for the above facilities can be made by contacting the education, leisure and housing service on 873535, ext 2415 or email leisure.culture@orkney.gov.uk.
Bookings can be made two weeks in advance for people who are registered with ActiveLife and a week in advance for casual users, however as ActiveLife memberships are still frozen, all sessions will be pay as you go.
James Wylie, executive director of education, leisure and housing said: “A significant amount of work has taken place by the sport and leisure team to be able to reopen the large majority of our facilities.
“Each facility is following Scottish Government and governing body guidelines, which mean there are a few changes that have had to be made to ensure they can open, but more importantly that our customers and staff stay safe.”
Users of the swimming pool, gyms or Group X classes, advance bookings will be essential, with each slot limited to a set number of users. There will be 15 minutes between sessions for additional cleaning.
To ensure there is sufficient time to disinfect surfaces and equipment as well as to reduce queuing, users are asked to adhere to their booking slot, not to arrive too early and to leave promptly.
Face coverings must be worn when entering the facilities. However, these can be removed when taking part in physical activity.
Fitness class numbers will be reduced to ensure that physical distancing can be adhered to, and no equipment, other than spin bikes will be provided for activity classes. Therefore users are encouraged to bring their own equipment for classes.
Gwenda Shearer, chair of education, leisure and housing committee said: “It is great news that we are now able to open bookings for our facilities. We hope the Orkney community will be able to make use of the fantastic activities and facilities that have been reopened.”
Facility and activity timetables can be accessed on the council’s sport and leisure Facebook page, or by telephoning the sport and leisure service on 873535 ext 2415 or emailing leisure.culture@orkney.gov.uk.