Medway Park Sports Centre, is a sports facility located in Gillingham, Kent, England. It opened on 14 December 1973 as the Black Lion Leisure Centre.
- Venue
- Medway Park Sports Centre
- Town
- Medway, GB
Medway Park Sports Centre, is a sports facility located in Gillingham, Kent, England. It opened on 14 December 1973 as the Black Lion Leisure Centre. The centre has undergone several renovations, notably a £11 million expansion in 2010 prior to it being reopened as Medway Park Sports Centre on 28 July 2011. Medway Park is used for recreational sports and fitness activities and has hosted national and international sporting events including the 2011 European Modern Pentathlon Championships and the 2013 Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup. The development of the centre dates back to 1955, when it was first proposed by the three councils, including Gillingham Borough Council, that preceded Medway Council. In 1963, the possibility of using Black Lion Field for the project was raised, and construction was completed a decade later. The Black Lion Leisure Centre officially opened on 14 December 1973 by Roger Bannister. The centre initially featured a swimming pool which was used by 1,705 swimmers on it opening weekend. In 1979, the centre expanded with the addition of a sports hall, squash courts, a snooker room, and a gym, officially opened by the Duke of Kent. The previous year, the Black Lion Skatepark had opened on part of the Black Lion Field to the north of the sports centre. The skatepark, which featured a half-pipe and several concrete bowls, was used for BMX and skateboarding until it was closed in 1987. During the 1980s, the centre hosted high-profile events, including the Norwich Union Grand Prix table tennis championship, the Butterfly Grand Prix, the English Closed Table Tennis Championships, and performances by the Royal Shakespeare Company, including Richard III. The 1990s saw further development with improvements to gym facilities and the addition activities like archery proved popular as by 1993/1994, the centre attracted 487,598 visits. In 2007, Medway Council announced a major redevelopment programme that included the construction of larger sports halls, a