A NEW swimming pool and fitness suite will open next week – two weeks ahead of schedule.
Work on the multi-million pound Johnstone Community Sports Hub has been completed ahead of schedule and it will now open next Monday.
A Gala Day, on July 28 is being held at the Sports Hub, which is in the grounds of Johnstone High School, just off Beith Road.
Organisers are promising fun for all the family with a bouncy castle, exhibitions and activities along with guided tours of the facility, which are also being held the following day.
And the remaining facilities will open to the public from July 30.
The new facility has a 25-metre four-lane swimming pool; a modern fitness suite; a multi-use four court sports hall; a dance and fitness class studio and an artificial turf all-weather floodlit football pitch.
Renfrewshire Leisure is the management trust that runs sports and leisure centres locally and its chief executive Joyce McKellar said: "This is a fantastic boost for Johnstone and surrounding villages because it has the latest equipment and facilities.
"The construction of the pool and fitness suite has come in ahead of schedule and there was no point in waiting until the end of the month when everyone can make use of these facilities a couple of weeks earlier."
A regular bus service, the No 38, runs from Johnstone town centre to the facility during opening times and there is also free parking for those who go by car.
Ms McKellar added: "We have had some great feedback from people living in Johnstone and the surrounding area since they found out they were getting new sports facilities.
"And they have been looking forward to seeing the Sports Hub open and make use of the new facilities."
The old swimming pool, in the town's Ludovic Square, which is being replaced by the new pool at the Hub, will close this Friday.
The new Johnstone Community Sports Hub is part of a £40million investment by Renfrewshire Leisure across the area.
The trust is also carrying out work to improve facilities in Linwood and the Paisley Lagoon centre.
ewan.fergus@ eveningtimes.co.uk