Council stops listening to REC users

Cllr Jane Edbrooke, Lambeth Council Cabinet member for Leisure &

Libraries, has shut down Lambeth's joint consultation arrangements with

BRUG.

She declares "BRIG ( Brixton Rec Improvement Group - the only way

BRUG can press Rec user views with Lambeth) …has now reached the

end of it’s useful life and it is no longer necessary for us to meet on a

regular basis.”

The Council set up BRIG, with BRUG and GLL 'partners'.

BRUG has written to Council Leader Lib Peck expressing our astonishment

and dismay that...

'Cllr Edbrooke has unilaterally and arrogantly terminated BRIG without

giving BRUG (or GLL) the opportunity to express our views on

consultation arrangements, and in the midst of consultations on the

pending £6M maintenance upgrade'

WE have asked to meet her to make alternative consultation arrangements.

Read the two letters here....

Letter From Cllr Jane Edbrooke

Letter to Lib Peck

Architectural Photography by Simon Kennedy

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November Newsletter

Lambeth spending £6 million on the Rec 

Lambeth have 'ear marked' up to £6m to upgrade the Rec to ensure that it meets all current fire, safety, mechanical and electrical standards. This spending commitment will cover the estimated 4 - 7 years for the Council to develop detailed plans and secure funding for long term refurbishment works. The Council wants to have no partial or complete closure while this initial work is done. BRUG will be consulted at each major stage. We will keep you updated. The Council has also published a report exploring possible options and costs of major long term reconfiguration of the Rec at http://futurebrixton.org/brixton-central/brixton-rec-2/. Three options are given. Options 2 & 3 include bringing the entrance(s) and main gym to street level, elimination of the bowling green, an outside climbing wall and much more. The need for, or value of many of these changes is not clear. Cllr Jane Edbrooke, Cabinet Member for Culture & Leisure, has told BRUG that the Council has as yet no idea how it might fund the £21m-£45m costs of these. She led BRUG to understand that these options are formulated to explore the scale of works and their overall cost. See a record of our meeting with her here.

 "Brixton Rec one of the best sports centres of all time"

 "The building should be protected" said post war 20C architectural expert Phillip Boyle at the fascinating recent BRUG open meeting. He and some other Architects argue the Rec should be 'listed, to strengthen sustainable sensitive management and provide meaningful consultation over changes to the building. Find out more here.

Culture 2020

The Rec will NOT be included in the Council/GLL scheme to govern the 3 library gyms, a major proposal of the Council's report 'Culture 2020'. Cllr Edbrooke has assured BRUG that GLL will continue to run the Rec under its present contract with GLL until 2022. Report at here.

Disabled Users Team

BRUG wants to set up a small disabled users team to inspect & keep a watch on disabled user needs in the Rec and propose immediate and longer term improvements, like putting a lift in at street level.Contact recusergroup@ btinternet.com to take part.

Architectural Photography Simon Kennedy Copyright © 2015, Brixton Rec User Group, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: recusergroup@btinternet.com

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DOCOMOMO Talk Brixton Rec 27th Oct

"The building should be protected" said post war 20C architectural expert Phillip Boyle at the fascinating recent BRUG open meeting. He and some other Architects argue the Rec should be 'listed,to strengthen sustainable sensitive management and provide meaningful consultation over changes to the building. 

Please listen to the unedited audio of the meeting below. A written transcript will be available shortly.

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Lambeth Architecture 1965-99

I have just ordered Edmund Bird's and Fiona Price's new book Lambeth Architecture 1965-99.  It is of particular interest to BRUG as it has quite a bit of information on Brixton Recreation Centre and on it's architect George Finch. So I am really looking forward to receiving my copy.

There is one point relevant to the cost of the rec that is not mentioned in the book, I quote: “...but it took 12 years to complete due to funding crises and labour disputes. The cost of the project spiralled to £25 million – twelve times the original estimate.” The point is that the rec was built through out a period of high inflation. The actual rise in cost for the period (1971 - 1985) was 4.665 times higher. So the real over run was 7% (i.e. 107% of original estimate).

Here are some of the pages from the book that show the Rec.

You can purchase the book from The Herne Hill Society.

Edmund's latest book is his fourth in the series on Lambeth's architectural history since 1900, taking the story on from the creation of the GLC and the enlarged Lambeth borough in 1965, up to the end of the century. It is the first book to assess the work of Ted Hollamby, the borough's chief planner and architect between 1964 and 1981, and his enormous output of council housing, as well as that the major GLC estates of the 60s and 70s. He charts the brief flirtation with high-rise towers such as those on Clarence Avenue and appraises Hollamby's high-density low-rise developments such as Clapham Manor and Gaskell Street. It was also a boom time in the provision of leisure and community buildings, cradle-to-grave social and health care, construction of new schools and of course the completion of the post-war vision of the cultural hub of the South Bank. His book also includes the public art of the period and the growing numbers of buildings of this era that are now no more. Biography: Town Planner and conservation officer in the cities of Lichfield and Bristol before joining Lambeth in the mid 1990s and rising to become Head of Conservation & Urban Design, moving on to the same position at Camden in 2003, and for the last 9 years, Heritage Advisor to the Mayor of London's GLA and TfL. Academia: BA (Hons) Economic & Social British History 1815-1980, MSocSc Urban Planning and MA Town & Country Planning. He has lived in Streatham Hill and Herne Hill for 20 years.

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BRUG Newsletter September 2015

AFEWEE BOXING CLUB Want to box competitively or for fun? Afewee, a community-based club, runs boxing classes for girls and boys, men and women, of all abilities. Boxing classes started in May 2014 and Afewee was recognised as a competitive club affiliated to the London Amateur Boxing Association in February 2015. They now run 8 classes per week for kids (under 11), juniors (11-18 years) and seniors (19+) plus adult Boxfit. There are 15-20 kids and 20-25 adults per session in peak times. An Afewee boy was recently selected for a 2 year boxing scholarship. What are the benefits of boxing? Learn a new skill/sport Get fit/lose weight Release stress and tension Channel aggression Increase self esteem and confidence What future does Afewee want? To be sustainable with a permanent space in the Rec.  Contact Bobby Miltiadous on 07983 151 082 or on the Afewee Facebook page or tweet@afeweeboxing.  Protecting the future Rec Architectural Photography by Simon Kennedy BRUG and Rec users fought off threats of its demolition in 2007 and 2012. Lambeth has committed £10m to developing the Rec. BRUG is concerned to ensure the future Rec remains a facility which Rec users and the community want. Having the Rec listed might assist us in this. Here we summarise what listing is and can offer us. To read more, What listing could offer The aim of listing is to protect the significant parts of qualities of a building and make sure that change and repair cause minimal damage to these. Buildings are listed as grade 1, grade 2*, and grade 2. There are about 5,000 grade 1 and about 50,000 grade 2. Grade 1 is for, say, Westminster Abbey. The Brixton arcades are listed as grade 2, largely due to their community significance. English Heritage (EH) controls the lists and supports change that allows a building to live and be relevant to people but does not damage its significant qualities. EH now appreciates that if a building does not have meaningful use, it is at risk of neglect. Even Westminster Abbey is adding new stairs and lifts to allow public access to a vast, unused gallery space. Control & Cost of change Many listed buildings have management agreements that the owners produce and make public proper plans and consultations for changes, which have been largely absent from the GLL 'improvements' to the Rec. Grants & Funding Listed buildings are eligible for grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), which largely favours buildings that serve the widest community. The Rec with its 76,000 visits each year, located in an ethnically diverse and deprived inner city community, would be a very popular choice for HLF. Sustainability & Regeneration The aim of HLF funding is a long-term viability. Any HLF funds would be extra to Lambeth's and could be used to improve the sustainability of the Rec and pay for works that Lambeth see as 'value for money'. A Combined Heat and Power (CHP) district energy system has been proposed in the Central Brixton Masterplan. The Rec is an obvious hub. Listing can benefit regeneration. Listed buildings attract media attention and commercial partners. This double-edged sword must be carefully managed. However, the Rec's enormous range of local users should be the principal beneficiaries of any improvements. The Rec is already a mixed use building with shops, clubs and sports. So the reintroduction of commercial uses like a restaurant, if controlled, should not be a threat. The Rec is an ideal environment for the promotion and development of creative performance and visual arts and design. Much space could be opened up for these. The Rec has improved and enhanced the life of many Brixton residents. It is the community that the Rec serves that is the key to its significance. The skill and quality of the design has contributed to this. Listing cannot ensure that this community survives and prospers but it can help us manage change in a more considered and informed way, and mean that long-term sustainability of the Rec is put first.  If you have a complaint about the Rec Raise it with the duty manager; and/or... Fill in an official GLL/Better complaints form, in a box on the wall opposite the office behind reception; and/or... Email Darren Pope, Rec General Manager at darren.pope@gll.org.uk Give the date, time and location and details of the issue, your name, phone number or email address. Ask for a response.  BRUG welcomes suggestions and comments by email recusergroup@btinternet.com or in our suggestions box outside the main changing rooms on level 4. But please don't leave complaints there that need to be resolved by GLL.  Over 55s Club Open Day, 5 October, 10am-2pm at the Rec You can try your hand at badminton, table tennis, dominoes, swim, chair exercises, learn how to stay fit and healthy, meet the friendly staff and club members, and enjoy complementary refreshments. All for free. For more details contact Rosemary Meikle, Club Lead, on 0207 095 5100 or email rosemary.meikle@gll.org.

Copyright © 2015, Brixton Rec User Group, All rights reserved.

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Open Day at Brixton Rec

On Saturday 4th July, Brixton Recreation Centre opened it's doors to the public for it's annual open day.

The day was a great success with GLL/Better working closely with Afewee Boxing, Brixton Topcats, Brixton Ballers Wheelchair Basketball Club, England Squash and Racquetball and London Early Years Foundation.

Darren Pope, General Manager said,

"We have had an amazing day with over 550 people of all ages taking part in a new sport. We hope that they all have enjoyed this experience so they can consider taking part in more activities, more often."

See the PDF for more info from Better on the open day

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Brug Newsletter July 2015

Funding the Rec: Facts and Myths Many stories circulate about who finances the Rec and the state of the building. We've done a helpful summary of the myths and facts... Myth: The Council subsidises the Rec. The Council repeatedly argued it could not afford to continue to subsidise the Rec when it was threatening to close it in 2012. Fact: The Rec users who visit 700,000 times a year generate considerable surpluses. Under the GLL/ Lambeth Leisure Centres contract, revenue from Rec users is divided three equal ways. One- third goes to GLL to cover all day to day costs of running the Rec; one-third goes to the joint GLL Lambeth Rec Development pot, which for example paid £ 204k towards the recent Rec refurbishment; and one-third does into general Council coffers to help fund for example the freeze of the Council Tax. Last year £500,000 went into each pot. Myth: The Rec is getting near the end of its life. Fact: A recent building survey has found that the Rec is structurally sound. It was built to high standards. Myth: It would cost too much to maintain and bring the Rec up to modern standards. Fact: The Rec needs ongoing maintenance and refurbishment as recently with the boilers and the new entrance. Users pay for this via the Joint Rec Development Fund collected from user charges. For example the recent £540K cost of new gym equipment and reception area was paid for from this fund. The Rec also needs major long term capital investment: ventilation and wiring are coming to the end of their life; external access does not meet modern standards; and it needs to be made far more energy efficient. BRUG are making sure users have a voice in this. We has been closely involved in evaluating initial studies of what and how it is to be done and to what standards. We held a productive open workshop for Rec users on the first 'feasibility study' last October. Lambeth Council is now deciding a proposal to invest £6m. The statement and proposal to Cabinet in late July is ' ...additional investment of £600k in further improvements is planned for 2015/16. Further maintenance and repairs in the order of £6m, based on engineers’ surveys, are required to keep the building open. This is while detailed reports are concluded to identify the scale and costs of the refurbishment required to secure the long term future of the BREC, to make it fit for the future and the next generation of Lambeth’s residents. It is proposed that the £6m will be added to the council’s pipeline of capital investment. Further work will take place to firm up the detail of the works required from the engineers’ surveys...' BRUG will keep you informed as this process unfolds.  Rec exercise classes Darren Pope, the Rec General Manager, is arranging for 8 extra yoga, pilates and core stability courses as a result of a review of provision following a recent survey. GLL conducted this survey after much pressure from BRUG and repeated user dissatisfaction. BRUG and Darren agreed a simple form. He ran the first survey in the two weeks from May 22 to June 5, to ten different types of classes in studios 1 & 2. 109 people responded. One third attended the Age UK Club Dance in studio 1, which is very popular and free. Almost one quarter attend yoga classes. The remainder attended aerotone, 20:20:20 fitness and other physical fitness classes. 94% rate their classes as 'very good' but nearly one in ten said their class did not start on time. Six out of seven find studio 1 (level 6) 'good or very good'. But only half said this of studio 2 (level 1). Heat and ventilation were cited as the main problems with studio 2. Darren has now prioritised air conditioning for studio 2 in next year's improvement budget. He is also actioning many other issues - like replacing the water fountain on level 1, also repeatedly complained about to BRUG by squash players. BRUG continues to press on the problems users have booking exercise classes on the GLL/Better online system. The problem is that it is a GLL-wide website, which cannot be altered locally. Exercise class attendees complain to GLL about its booking service on the website. Full details of survey and resulting actions at www.brixtonrecusersgroup.blogspot.co.uk.

The Rec Open Day broke new ground this year with 546 taking part in the free tryouts of new activities. For the first time, GLL/Better organised sessions with Brixton Topcats Basketball Club, Brixton Ballers Wheelchair Basketball Club, Afewee Boxing Club, X-Posure Dance Club, Fulham Football Club, London Early Years Foundation, England Squash and Racquet Ball, and Brixton Fencing Club. Full report at www.brixtonrecusersgroup.blogspot.co.uk.  Happy Birthday to Afewee Boxing Club, now one year old. They started with just a few small classes. Now they have a boxing ring and so much demand, they're having to add in extra sessions. They'll be running more adult and kids' classes from the start of the new season in October. Like them on Facebook for more information and go box with them - it's fun!

Copyright © 2015, Brixton Rec User Group, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: recusergroup@btinternet.com

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