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On track for golden legacy

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Plans have been submitted for an indoor training centre for sportsmen and women.

Leicester Athletics Development Group (LADG), an independent organisation promoting participation in the sport and better access to facilities, has put in the application to Leicester City Council.

With the support of athletics clubs across the county and several national sporting bodies, the group wants to build the centre at the Saffron Lane Athletics Stadium, in Aylestone.

Supporters said it would be a lasting legacy from the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Track and field coach Roger Beeby, 80, of South Knighton, Leicester, a member of the LADG, said: "The indoor centre could be used to coach pole vault, long jump, discus, javelin and other field events.

"It would have a 60m track that could be used by athletes to train and perhaps host small competitions.

"The main thing is it would be available throughout the year and, very importantly, will be ideal and accessible for all sorts of disability sports.

"These are very exciting times for athletics in this country. What better legacy could there be in the city from this summer's Games?"

The location for the indoor centre would be the old stadium gym, off Saffron Lane, which was demolished in the wake of the stadium and running track's £1.4 million facelift in 2006.

Access to the centre and the stadium would be from a new entrance off Saffron Lane.

The plan is for the venue to also be available to non-track and field Olympic sports such as archery and weightlifting.

Aylestone city councillor Nigel Porter is backing the project.

"The Olympic games has inspired so many young people to take up sport, including my 12-year-old son, Alfie, who has really got into archery.."

Members of the public and the city's sporting community helped raise £1,174 to pay for planning and design costs for the project.

LADG is now preparing to submit a bid for lottery funding and is also looking to attract corporate sponsors.

Chairman Cherie D'Silva said: "We are submitting our bid for lottery funding this weekend.

"This bid is for about £2.2 million. We have come this far really with the support and generosity of Ian Staniforth Architects, which has helped us tremendously to get our planning application finished."

On track   for  golden legacy


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