5:17pm Friday 5th October 2007
By Gazette Reporter
Vandals have caused £30,000 damage at Calne leisure centre.
Sports centre users may now have to wait until the new year due to the thousands of pounds worth of damage.
The attacks on the building have caused damage to air conditioning units, the main roof and canopies.
Cllr Viv Vines, lead member for leisure at North Wiltshire District Council said: "I am very concerned to learn of the damage to the centre, especially as so many members of the community have been working hard to ensure the centre is reopened for the benefit of the local people and schools.
"This is mindless vandalism, which could now jeopardise the reopneing of the centre until early next year.
"I would appeal to anyone who knows anything about the vandalism to report it to police."
Peter Dolman from Calne Leisure Action Group said: "We are continuing to undertake a number of improovments and alterations in the centre to improve the facility ready for reopneing to the public later in the year.
"Our group will need to look at the impact the latest vandalism has had on our plans to reopen, but I am confident that between North Wiltshire District Council, John Bentley School, Wiltshire County Council and ourselves the repairs will be carried out quickly, enabling the centre to be reopened as planned."
The council's Executive have welcomed the news that Calne Leisure Action Group have been successful in achieving its Industrial Provident Society Status and have now agreed to waive the requirement for the organisation to provide a guarantee for £60,000 which had been allocated to the project.
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