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Deeside Leisure Centre

Published: 06/04/2020

Deeside Leisure Centre (DLC) has been selected as the best available site for an Emergency Hospital to serve the Eastern area of North Wales because of its location and accessibility by road; its size and internal layout; the availability of utilities and facilities such as accessible toilet and washing facilities. DLC also has the advantage of being able to have extended bed capacity beyond the initial 250 target if needed.

DLC was chosen on Thursday 2 April by a team of partners including a multi-disciplinary professional team from the Health Board, the Council as the landlord, the Ambulance Service, the Fire Service and the Military, and in consultation with Aura Wales as the tenant.

We now have the important task of transforming DLC into a temporary hospital by the end of April in readiness for the expected peak in demand for hospital admissions.

The two main ward spaces will be the sports hall and the skate park hall. The ice rink, which is currently in a dry condition with no ice covering, is a third space held in reserve. The decision to demolish the skate park equipment was taken as the most time-efficient option to enable the principal contractor, who will fit-out the hospital, immediate access to DLC from Monday 6 April.

More information will follow on how the temporary hospital will operate, and when it will be opened. The hospital will be managed by the Health Board.

DLC will be returned to full use once the emergency situation is over. Aura and the Council will assess the options for the skate park hall and what can be offered in this space once the emergency situation is over. The Council is approaching Welsh Government for financial support to reinstate DLC with new equipment for a leisure offer for the future.