Altrincham Grammar Comes Tops in RICS awards
23/09/2009
Trafford Community Leisure Trust, Altrincham Grammar School for Boys and Michael Hyde and Associates
The Grammar Sports Fitness & Leisure centre, a new sports facility located at Altrincham Grammar School for boys has just won the Community Benefit Category of the RICS North West Awards.
These awards, often called the "Oscars" of the building industry, are designed to celebrate the most inspirational initiatives and developments in property, construction and the environment. Andrew Kellaway Chairman of the judging panel - "For me the appeal of these awards is that they are about what the project delivers. They are not just about technicalities or architecture. Crucial is the impact that they have and how they work. This is what makes them different".
The Grammar sports facility encompasses a state of the art sports complex that includes a fitness gym, 4 court indoor sports hall, multi sport workout studio, meeting room, cafeteria as well as full set of ancillary facilities. In addition the indoor facilities, The Grammar also has 4 outdoor artificial surface tennis courts, a full sized artificial hockey pitch and a number of grass pitches to accommodate football, rugby and cricket. The building was designed by Tom Green of architects Michael Hyde & Associates. Tom is an old boy of the school and was also responsible for the design of the Bolton Lads & Girls Club, which scooped the National RICS Community Benefit Award in 2004.
Altrincham Grammar School for boys opened the £3m project in September 2008 to the community and for school use. The School invited Trafford Community Leisure Trust, who currently manages eight leisure centres and two golf courses across the borough, to manage the indoor and outdoor sports facilities out of School hours for the community.
Bernie Jones, Chief Executive of Trafford Community Leisure Trust said, "Trafford Community Leisure Trust are delighted to be working in partnership with Altrincham Grammar School for Boys and are ensuring that the maximum benefit is gained from this fantastic facility, which is truly one of the best looking buildings of its kind in the north west."Having won the North West award, the partners involved in The Grammar now look forward to the National awards held in London later this year.
Tim Gartside, Headmaster finishes by saying "The whole project has been such a success because of teamwork. I was delighted to receive the input from Trafford Community Leisure Trust from the very beginning of the design process because it ensured that the community sports requirements were carefully considered alongside the needs of the School."
