Keyworth Leisure Centre celebrates 50 years of health, inspiration and fun
Last updated: 15/9/2026
Rushcliffe Borough Council (RBC) and Lex Leisure have celebrated a half century of Keyworth Leisure Centre, marking 50 years of health, inspiration and fun to residents from across the borough.
Partners met on September 12 to mark the event as Mayor of Rushcliffe Cllr Richard Butler addressed attendees and handed over a commemorative board to reflect on the anniversary, having remarkably attended its opening in 1976.
The centre was built for £120,000 alongside a comprehensive school on Wolds Drive in the mid-1970s to accommodate a massive boom in Keyworth’s population and has been at the heart of the community ever since.
Also driven partly by families moving in to work at the nearby Cotgrave Colliery, the centre was one of the early pioneering joint use agreement facilities and was used by the school during the day and the public during evenings and weekends.
For its first three years, there was a question mark over whether the pool should be kept due to low usage, however by 1979 over 21,000 people were using the swimming facility each year.
The 1980s and 1990s saw a massive national push for water safety, and Keyworth was a primary training ground for the Royal Life Saving Society, with dozens of local teenagers spending their weekends at the pool earning their Bronze Medallion certifications, with many going on to become the centre's actual lifeguards.
1994 saw the first major refurbishment of the facility, as the £650,00 investment saw a new leaner pool and multi-activity room added to assist with the rising number of toddler groups and 50 plus activity groups.
The centre's popularity continued to grow entering the new millennium where there was booming demand for structured fitness and as such the multi-use activity space became a compact 25-station fitness suite.
The running of the facility was taken over by Parkwood Leisure in 2007 before becoming part of their parent company Lex Leisure.
Last year saw the biggest refurbishment of the Centre to date, as £1m was invested as part of RBC’s £5.2m of refurbishments and energy efficient improvements across its leisure centres.
This saw all the original flooring and changing cubicles replaced, the gym and the reception café area extended and a reconfiguration of the reception area and toilets.
It was reopened to the public by the Mayor of Rushcliffe, Councillor John Cottee after its modernisation in 2025 the centre is equipped to serve the next half century of Keyworth residents.
The centre has continued to grow and develop since it opened going from 16,000 annual visitors in 1976 to 60,000 visitors each year today, with brilliant local sports clubs such as Nottingham Leander Swimming Club, Keyworth Archers and Keyworth United football club all enjoying the facilities.
Famous sports people to utilise the site include Sam Oldham, who won an Olympic Bronze Medal for Team GB in the Men's Team Gymnastics at the London 2012 Olympic Games and Sophie Coldwell who secured a Gold Medal for Team GB in the Mixed Triathlon Relay at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
One of the incredible stories to emerge from the Leisure Centre is staff member Mary Foston who has been part of the team at Keyworth for 49 years as a swimming teacher and she was at the centre of the anniversary celebrations.
RBC’s Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Wellbeing and ICT Cllr Jonathan Wheeler said: “It’s fantastic looking back over the last 50 years of this much-loved leisure centre and hearing stories about the many people and groups who have benefitted from it’s excellent facilities.
“We’re so proud of the leisure centres across the brough and Keyworth is a prime example of why they are such a valuable resource for the community, promoting fitness, wellbeing, and social connection.
“Our continued investment into these facilities aligns with our leisure strategy that focuses on providing accessible, high-quality, and sustainable leisure facilities for all to enjoy, as we continue to aim to grow and develop them.
“Looking towards the next 50 years, Keyworth Leisure Centre will strive to continue to provide health, inspiration and fun to local people for miles around and make a positive difference to everyone’s lifestyle and be a hub for all in the community.”
