LeisureDome, Weston-super-Mare facts for kids
The LeisureDome was a big indoor sports and activity center that was planned for Weston-super-Mare, a town in Somerset, England. It was going to be built on the land of an old air force base called RAF Locking, which closed down in 1999. The idea was to create a fun place where people could enjoy many different sports and activities all under one roof.
Local officials, from the North Somerset Council, gave permission for the LeisureDome to be built on 21 July 2011. It was a huge project, expected to cost around £50 million. Construction was supposed to start in December 2011, and the center was hoped to open in early 2013. However, the building work was delayed and, sadly, the project was later cancelled. By 2015, it became clear that the LeisureDome would not be built, as the developers needed more money, and their plans for the area (now called Locking Parklands) no longer included it.
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What Exciting Things Were Planned?
The plans for the LeisureDome were very ambitious and included many cool features. It was designed to be a massive entertainment hub for people of all ages.
Indoor Skiing and Snowboarding
One of the main attractions was a long indoor ski slope. It was planned to be 210 meters (about 689 feet) long, which would have made it the longest indoor ski slope in the entire United Kingdom. Imagine being able to ski or snowboard indoors, no matter the weather outside!
Amazing Climbing Walls
The LeisureDome also planned to have a huge climbing wall. This wall was going to be 40 meters (about 131 feet) tall, making it the tallest of its kind anywhere in the world. There would have been different types of climbing, like lead climbing, top roping, and bouldering, along with special walls for competitions.
Other Thrilling Activities
Besides skiing and climbing, the LeisureDome was going to offer even more exciting things:
- An indoor vertical wind tunnel for skydiving. This would let you experience the feeling of freefall without jumping from a plane!
- Indoor surfing, where you could ride waves inside.
- A BMX track for bike enthusiasts.
- A health and fitness club for staying active.
- Many shops and restaurants, so visitors could eat and relax after their activities.
In total, the LeisureDome was designed to have a huge amount of space, covering 33,112 square meters (about 356,414 square feet). This included 2,536 square meters (about 27,297 square feet) for shops and 1,237 square meters (about 13,315 square feet) for places to eat. It was truly going to be a giant place for fun and adventure!
