Hackney's West Reservoir Centre will be getting a £1.5million facelift in a bid to make it more accessible for children and adults.

Improvements to the centre will include new cycle parking, a space for land-based equipment to support triathlon training, additional showers, a new café and a pontoon pool tank for safer open water swimming.

Hackney Council's leisure chief Cllr Chris Kennedy said: “We’re committed to investing in our leisure spaces because we know just how important they are to people’s mental and physical wellbeing, particularly after the significant amount of time that we’ve been spending inside over the past year to help keep Hackney safe.

“This funding boost will help improve the infrastructure and facilities of some of our most popular leisure spaces, to help ensure that every single person is able to enjoy the benefits that they can bring.”

The £1.5m funding injection was approved by the council's cabinet last week and the improvements follow the recent installation of power-generating solar panels on the centre's roof.

Ham & High: West Reservoir Centre in Hackney with solar panels installed late last year.West Reservoir Centre in Hackney with solar panels installed late last year. (Image: Hackney council)

The installation was part of an initiative launched by the council's publicly-owned energy company, Hackney Light and Power.

London Fields Lido is also set to get a boost of £500,000 to install a learner swimming pool for children and adults as well as £100,000 to Clissold Park Leisure Centre, to replace floor tiles and the sports hall's floor.

Meanwhile other improvements to the West Reservoir Centre include replacing all pontoons for safer, more controlled, open water swimming and cycle parking at the front of the main building.

The café will be transformed into a bar area for events and outside showers will be installed for open water swimming as well as an external sauna and steam room.

A new entrance will be added to the west side of the building as well as new fencing for added security.

The funding boost follows the launch of West Reservoirs first ever Winter Swimming programme last year following a surge in demand after swimming pools closed in 2020 due to the coronavirus lockdown.