Has Bournemouth gone fitness mad?

“Now hold on a minute”, I hear you say, “I live in Bournemouth and there’s absolutely no way I could be confused with an adrenalin junky”. “…and fair play to you”, I would say, however, it does seem that the Borough of Bournemouth (which, for those finickity types out there, includes Boscombe) is starting to take on a ‘wellness of the populous’ stance in their city planning.

First there was the Boscombe ‘rejuvenation’ project that included a new pier approach, The Overstrand (with it’s endless kayak, surf board rentals and Urban Reef) and the artificial reef - a transformation of the beach front itself. Not so much geared towards fitness, but on a clear day who could refrain from a quick surf lesson with somebody from the local Sorted Surf Shop. Before you know it your abs too could look, well, different.


Then came ‘Pavilion Dance’ hot on it’s heals – just moments away from Bournemouth Pier. A veritable cornucopia of dance lessons and performances scheduled in to take us to Christmas and beyond, already. If you ever had an inclination to try Krumping, Waacking or Lindy Hop (the latter I hear is popular with some) then take a look. It’s only just opened (in September); and, if the above all sounds too run of the mill, why not try Appalachian Clog – if nothing else, an excellent way to add a little something new to your sex life. There are performances galore as well – with up to three performances a night in some circumstances. Go there – try it out, I say!

So we have surfing, kayaking, dancing (and not just the standard drunken experience that some remember from university years) and now…  Ice Staking. Yes – some twenty years or so since the Bournemouth Ice Rink closed on Westover Road finally someone with some sense has realised that this is quite a fun way to spend an afternoon – especially if it’s raining and you’re in Bournemouth on a brief summer break (obviously, this never happens, the sun always shines – and, no, Bournemouth Tourist Board aren’t paying me, not yet anyway).

“So where is this ice rink going to be”, I hear you cry out with exultation! OK, ok, calm down, it’s only an ice rink – and more to the point it’s not built yet. I do hear, though, that the new rink will be in Kings Park and should look something like that which is pictured inset.


If you’re a Facebook fan take a look here. It looks big, you might think, and you’d be right – it’s an Olympic sized Ice Rink with, by the looks of things, plenty of other facilities including: 5000 seats (for spectators, not just for tired shoppers – although?), climbing wall, standing surf wave (to get your practice in before doing the real thing down at Boscombe Pier), synthetic turf pitches for football, netball, tennis and hockey.

…and what do we lose – a couple of football pitches, I never liked the game anyway so I’m not fussed. Actually, they aren’t lost, they’re merely relocated to elsewhere within the park. The real impact is losing green open spaces – but if done well, perhaps more people will think to go and enjoy the green open space before and after their skating. Regardless of your stance on all this you can still have your say here: the Online Planning Applications Register – and remember, if you haven’t got a complaint about it – praise it, if you want that rink for your kids (well, for you really, but who’d admit to that)…

P.S. On the Pavilion Dance situation: if anyone can find out how they teach Parkour in a dance studio, please get back to me (visions of Matrix style sequences on entering the studio, surely aren’t possible, are they?).