Salford is welcoming a new sports centre this December

Photo credit: Nick Glackin

Salford’s brand new Graystone Action Sports Academy will be opening to the public and future Olympians alike this December.

The all new sports centre will offer 35,000 square feet of play space and facilities for snowboarders, skiers, skateboarders and BMX riders. Many athletes for Team GB are thought to start training at the venue in preparation for the 2022 Beijing Olympics, however numerous activities including an hourly pay and play will also be open for the public.

The guys at @fouronefourskateparks delivering a weekly progress report and WOW! Scroll through, let your imagination go wild and make sure to head over to our #crowdfunding website to invest and own a piece of our action sports paradise! https://t.co/0jLeaHwLLh pic.twitter.com/WKBVNSvSqj

— GRAYSTONE (@graystoneASA) November 10, 2018

Daley O’Neal, 31, an employee at the University of Salford Sports Centre, said: “It’s good for more community based health centres to open as it provides an additional avenue for people to get active and promote health and wellbeing around Salford.”

Figures from Public Health England state that 32.1% of people in Salford are doing less than 30 minutes of activity a week. At the same time, a 2015 study found 35% of children in Salford aged between 10-11 are overweight.

The centre will also be offering numerous activities for children, including day camps during the holidays, and adventure education for school groups, universities, organisations and sports clubs.

According to O’Neal: “Anything which opens children’s eyes to the different ways they can stay healthy is important. “It’s always good to have those activities to engage with children and get them into good habits from an early age.”

He added that having Olympians training in Salford will provide a “role model for local children”, which will help promote a healthier lifestyle.

Just 0.3 miles away from the University of Salford, the centre will provide an avenue for students. Robert Hall from the university’s Salford Snow Society said: “The facility is going to be great for freestyle ski and snowboard training.

“No doubt Salford Snow will be regulars.”

A member of the Graystone Action Sports Academy spoke about the opening, saying: “Through our foundation we will be opening doors and welcoming people into action sports, and allowing them to train alongside professional athletes and Olympians.

“Graystone ASA is about to change the way people think about action sports and Salford could soon be the action sports capital of the UK.”