Following this week’s announced timetable for exiting lockdown and returning to unrestricted outdoor contact and after a meeting with councillor Athwall, Matthew Essex, Corporate Director for Regeneration and Culture and Damian Atkinson, Head of Leisure and Culture at Redbridge, we post this statement that FOAC will re-open this year:
- Fairlop Outdoor Activity Centre will now re-open in two phases.
- The Centre will re-open for some users in April and the centre will write to its users to inform them.
- The centre will fully re-open to all users, including coached groups, on 21st June (in line with the government’s current date for lifting all restrictions on social contact.)
- This process has already started, including re-certification.
- Redbridge council will provide capital to FOAC from the £500k Fairlop development capital approved in February to allow the centre to renew its boats and equipment.
- By doing so, it is anticipated that the immediate cost of maintenance of equipment will reduce significantly.
- This capital injection will allow Redbridge to re-allocate its previous operational funding of the centre elsewhere.
- VisionRCL will work to make the centre self-funding on an ongoing basis while maintaining the core of its existing service, including group coaching to its existing user base.
- The Fairlop Waters regeneration programme plans to expand and develop new and improved water facilities as part of its programme for the park.
- Service from FOAC will transition to the new improved centre as it becomes available.
We do of course expect that this statement translate immediately to action on the ground by VisionRCL. In particular we expect the key staff required to operate and retain certification of the centre will have this re-opening confirmed to them as a matter of urgency and any notice of termination rescinded. Clearly if this is not apparent in the immediate future, this campaign will need to continue.