Pre Games Training Camps
Three facilities in the Basingstoke and Deane area - the Active Life Centre, Down Grange Sports Complex and Wellington Riding Centre - have been approved as pre-games training camps for overseas competitor countries. By working with local sports clubs and creating a package of support services with other partner organisations we hope to attract teams to Basingstoke and Deane to assist their preparations for the Olympic games. By doing so, we also hope there will be opportunities for the community to interact with the athletes and staff, learn about their home countries and develop friendships which go beyond the 2012 games.
If this is something your country is aspiring to, please make contact with us:
Claire Wareham
Activity Development Officer
Telephone: 00 44 (0)1256 845375
Email: claire.wareham@basingstoke.gov.uk
Active Life Centre
The Active Life Centre is a purpose built, state of the art 17,000 sq feet gymnastics hall. The facilities and equipment are universally accepted as some of the finest in the region.
Location and parking
The centre is located close to Basingstoke town centre, approximately 4km from Junction 6 of the M3 and has its own parking on site. There is a local bus service along the adjacent main road and the railway station, with routes to London Waterloo, the Midlands and the south coast, is 1km away.
Equipment
The gymnasium incorporates a full compliment of Olympic standard apparatus supplied from 'Continental' (the official sponsors for the equipment used in 2012 Olympics). The centre fully meets the technical requirements for gymnastics including both Rhythmic, Artistic and Trampoline disciplines.
Multi-activity rooms
The centre offers two multi-activity studios with full length mirrors, air-conditioning, two sets of ballet bars, high quality wooden sprung floors sound systems.
Meeting / briefing room
A separate room provides for squad meetings and / or lectures and has it's own kitchen.
Changing rooms and medical treatment rooms
The spacious changing facilities offer separate adult male and adult female changing areas, each of which has showers, toilets and lockers. These also provide separate rooms for private consultations by team doctors, masseurs or physiotherapists. The separate first aid room can also be used as a physiotherapy room.
Disabled use
The whole centre is accessible to people with disabilities and offers dedicated shower, changing and toilet facilities for wheelchair-users.
Additional facilities
Basingstoke and North Hants Hospital is within 2km and has offered to provide medical support as necessary. There are a number of good quality hotels within a 15 minute drive and our contacts with their hoteliers will help us to secure the most appropriate accommodation for your party.
Within 2km of Active Life Centre is Basingstoke Aquadrome, with two indoor swimming pools (25m and 20m), a large 140 station fitness area, a free weights area with a full range of conditioning equipment, and a health spa. A number of training rooms are available and one or more of these rooms could be made available for the exclusive use of any visiting team requiring general fitness training equipment (treadmills, rowing machines, free weights, multi-gym, stepping machines and cross-trainers etc).
Less than 3km from the Active Life Centre is Basingstoke Sports Centre, which provides a range of high quality facilities including a large cardiovascular gym and a large separate free-weights gym with conditioning equipment. The Basingstoke Sports Centre further benefits from a newly refurbished 25m swimming pool, and full spa and relaxation facilities.
Down Grange Sports Complex
Down Grange Sports Complex is a multi sport facility which is home to three of the largest clubs in the borough. The complex is used for regional competitions in athletics, hockey, and rugby and has hosted national and international sporting events.
Location and parking
Down Grange is located approximately 4km south west of Basingstoke town centre. There is car and coach parking on site.
Synthetic Turf Pitch (STP)
The synthetic pitch was resurfaced in September 2011 to provide a sand dressed playing surface.
The pitch is fully enclosed and measures 91.44m x 55m. Both the pitch size and the safety run offs meet Olympic requirements. The pitch is orientated on a north / south axis and is floodlit via 8 masts 18m high.
The pitch meets the International Hockey Federation (IHF) requirements for a ‘national’ facility. All of the relevant sport specific equipment is provided on site.
Athletics Facilities
The athletics track is situated adjacent to the hockey pitch and provides an enclosed UK Athletics Class 1 facility.
Since the inclusion in the training camp guide in 2009 the council has invested almost £500,000 to enhance the track and field facilities. The improvements were completed in November 2011 and included: .
1. A new competition ‘sandwich system’ eight lane track with two sprint straights
2. Adjustable steeple chase barrier and water jump
3. New two lane, double ended long jump / triple jump facility
4. Two accessible shot put circles with disability fixing points
5. Two javelin runways
6. Two high jump fans
7. Accessible hammer / discus circle and cage with disability fixing points
8. Full track and fields equipment to IAAF standard
The athletics track facilities are fully accessible to all users. Access to the track is via level access from the car park directly adjacent to the facility. As part of the track project level access to all the throwing event facilities will be created.
The facility is supported by a full range of equipment including Javelin, Hammer, Discus, and Shot in a variety of weights. Lane marking boxes, judges stands, starters rostrum, adjustable hurdles and steeplechase hurdles are all to IAAF standard. Additional terrain for endurance training is also available within the Down Grange Sports Complex.
Support Facilities
The Maidenwell Pavilion is adjacent to both the hockey and athletics facilities and serves both sports. The pavilion provides 12 changing rooms with inclusive shower facilities (two of which are double, fully accessible, disabled changing rooms).
The Basingstoke Rugby Club pavilion is 250m from the training facilities. The facility provides eight changing rooms. The pavilion has recently been upgraded to provide two fully accessible changing rooms. The pavilion also provides flexible usage including a large kitchen (up to 100 diners), a large bar with Sky TV, and three function rooms.
Beechdown Health and Fitness Club, located within the Down Grange complex, provides strength and conditioning training facilities as well as a full range of health and fitness equipment including; full cardiovascular gym, sauna, steam room, and leisure swimming pool. The gym has a separate free-weights area including a full range of strength training equipment. Beechdown also provides a range of leisure activities including tennis, badminton, squash and a café area.
Less than 2km from the Down Grange Sports Complex is the Aquadrome, and additional services such as medical support and team accommodation are within easy reach.
Wellington Riding Centre
The Wellington Riding Centre, located 15km north of Basingstoke town centre, is a privately managed equestrian facility. For further details please email: info@wellington-riding.co.uk or phone: +44 (0)118 932 6308.
