It has been a long and winding road to this point, but Romford’s new leisure centre and ice rink is finally set to open, five years after the town’s ice rink closed its doors.
During that time we’ve had everything from supermarket chain Morrisons almost cancelling a land swap deal to councillors believing the new £25million centre’s proposed designs were scientifically flawed.
After a few false starts that saw the council’s original completion date of 2014 go by, work finally began on the new centre in Western Road on April 6, 2016.
The final swimming pool tiles and ice rink seats were installed in late December last year and now Havering Council has confirmed the Sapphire Ice and Leisure Centre’s grand opening will take place on February 3.
Guests will get to enjoy a day packed full of free activities, such as ice skating sessions, family fun swims and exercise sessions, including group cycling and boot camps.
There will also be a figure skating exhibition as well as face painting and balloon modelling for younger children.
As well as these activities, the open day will see the Raiders return to the town to play their first game there since April 2013.
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