Videos

Albert Avenue Pools and Fitness Reopens

Albert Avenue Pools and Fitness has reopened following extensive investment and transformation works. The facility includes a new outdoor lido and splash pad, as well as a fitness gym and class studio.

Speaking at the opening, Councillor Rob Pritchard (Portfolio Holder for Culture & Leisure) said:

“It’s the public’s first opportunity to have a look at these phenomenal facilities. An £11 million investment from the council is for the pool, the outside lido has been extended and now has a heating system in it.

“Within the leisure centre itself there’s been an extension and that’s got in two parts as a leisure centre, a gym that’s got all the equipment in and then there’s the gym for classes.

“These are great facilities. There is a need for people to see what is on their doorstep, to get involved, get fit and improve their health as well.

“Even if you just come once and be a bit nosy to say actually, I remember last time I came was with school. Come and see how it was probably and actually get involved.”

 James Prest (Project manager, Esteem Hull) said:

“It’s quite bittersweet really, this has been our baby for the past couple of years.

“There’s been a massive effort from the major projects team at Hull City council, Hull Esteem, Hobson & Porter and also the local supply chain.

“It’s been a tough challenge working in the confinements of a building that you’ve already got here.

It’s not a brand-new build where you can change things. You’ve got the space that you’re working with, which is logistically difficult.

“But what we can see here, it’s the fruit of our labour.”

Kev Harrison & Wayne Cropp (Hobson & Porter) said:

“We started in February last year, the main building itself was originally opened in 1920.

“A lot of the original features there have been covered up over the years. But it’s turned out a fantastic facility really.

“The lido itself was a completely new filtration system as it was at Beverley Road, but with Beverley Road it was fully renewed as it is here.

“We had the addition of the third pole, and that’s got a state-of-the-art filtration system which was a challenge.

“It’s a fantastic facility now with all three pools, the Lido, the new gymnasium, the fitness suites upstairs. There’s so much to get involved with the local community going to love it.

“I learnt to swim here. I’ve trained with Jack Hales brought a lot of memories back for me – it’s great to get involved again.”

Learn more about Albert Avenue pools & Fitness here.

Celebrating 250 years of Amazing Grace

A new exhibition commemorating 250 years of ‘Amazing Grace’ is now on display at Wilberforce House Museum with Hull Maritime.

The exhibition will tell the story of former slave ship captain, John Newton, the writer and composer of Amazing Grace.

Speaking at the exhibition opening, Councillor Rob Pritchard (Hull City Council Portfolio Holder for Culture & Leisure) said:

“This exhibition is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the writing of the hymn, Amazing Grace.

“The exhibition has a recording of local people singing the song. There’s also the story of John Newton and how that affected the abolition.

“These things should be remembered because if we understand our history, it can help inform our future.

“We quite often think that the slave trade is a thing of the past, but there are more people in slavery today than there has been over the years.

“I love Amazing Grace because it’s a hymn about redemption and forgiveness. We all need that in our lives, and that’s why 250 years from it being written it’s still remembered.

“It has such an effect because it is that need for redemption and that people’s faith and needs something to engage with to improve their lives.”

Watch the video commissioned film of the hymn from Hull Maritime on YouTube.

Get involved with Hull’s Public Art Audit

Residents Hull can join in a the Hull Public Art Audit to document the public art works across the city.

You can get involved by taking photos of your favourite pieces of art and sharing them on social media with the hashtag #HullPublicArt, or by tagging Hull City Council and Beam Arts.

Speaking about the audit, Kath Wynne-Hague, Head of Culture, Place, City Centre, said:

“Public art means a lot of things to a lot of people. It’s in your parks, in the gardens, and down the street. It is sculpture, it’s mural it’s mosaic.

“The public art audit is really important because currently we need to find out about all the public art that we have in Hull in our communities, in our neighbourhoods.

“We want to understand what the work is, who the artist was, who commissioned it, what state the work is in. All this information is important for us to understand the state of the art that we’ve got in the city.

“We want the public to get involved, look in their communities and neighbourhoods, and take pictures of any public art. It could be a sculpture, it could also be a mural, and what we want to do is understand what is out there in the city.

“You can send in your photos through social media. We’ll also be working with the volunteers to do some more research on the work you submit.”

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