If, like me, you've waited years for the £47 million redevelopment of Edinburgh's Meadowbank Sports Centre to open to the public, then the big day has finally arrived.
The huge building, boasting a gym, café, outdoor football pitch, athletics track, countless fitness studios and so much more, finally opened on Tuesday, July 19, and we went along to see what all the fuss was about.
Living in the local area, I had been counting down the days until I could stroll over the road to make use of the impressive facilities, rather than walk 20 minutes or get a bus to my nearest fitness studio.
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Unfortunately, it was too short notice for me to acquire a table tennis partner, so I had to settle for a visit to the gym, which is the main facility I was most excited to visit and try.
Walking through the doors at Meadowbank, there was a real sense of excitement and a buzz in the air. Staff were showing people around, locals were stopping to take pictures and the place was fairly busy considering it's the school holidays and everyone is making the most of the heatwave.
Walking through the automatic doors, a café selling hot and cold drinks, as well as light bites is situated and can be used for those who aren't even partaking in any physical activity.
As is the case with Edinburgh Leisure centre's, a series of electric gates prevent guests walking through without a membership. As I already have an existing membership with the group, I was able to use my own fob. Although, when visiting for the first time, even existing members need to buy a virtual 'ticket' to gain access to the facilities, which can be done using one of the multiple touch screen kiosks as you walk in the building.
You need to be fast though, a timer counts you down to progress to the next screen and doesn't leave you an awful lot of time. After obtaining my pass, which hopefully isn't a necessity during every visit, I was able to continue through one of the many corridors to the gym.
There were quite a lot of people being shown around by staff, although I was surprised at how quiet the gym was given the city-wide excitement about Meadowbank finally being unveiled. Upon entering the gym, the smell of new equipment stood out. I wouldn't exactly call myself a gym enthusiast, I've been to multiple different ones across the city but I'm no expert on equipment or fitness.
However, the gym seemed to include everything you would need. It was perhaps more cardio-orientated. There were a lot of machines such as treadmills, spinning bikes and cross trainers that filled the outskirts of the spacious room.
There were all the usual suspects in terms of weights, though. Various benches at the free weight section, a variety of machines that target specific muscles and areas of the body and several areas for squatting and dead lifts.
Another positive feature that stood out, especially during this heatwave, was the fact that the room was well air conditioned, it was definitely warmer coming out of the building than it was inside.
After working out for about an hour and just easing myself back into it, it was refreshing to use equipment that wasn't damaged or worn. It was also nice to just have a look around the gym, and the wider building, without feeling like one hundred preying eyes were watching you.
After coming out of the gym, along the same corridor was changing rooms for both male and female, as well as lockers and water taps. I also noticed several fitness studios designed for activities such as spinning, which were all dark except from a cool looking neon-lit stage.
Back to the main hall, and sliding doors lead out to the outdoor football pitch and athletics track. Activities such a five-a-side football, indoor and out, table tennis and badminton can all be pre-booked, as well as fitness classes and tutorials around the gym.
The café, on the way out, provides an opportunity for parents to sit and grab a coffee while waiting on their kids finishing their activities, or even presents an opportunity for guests to take in the surroundings while enjoying a sandwich, members and non-members can all enjoy this facility.
So, the newest addition to Edinburgh's sporting infrastructure has finally arrived, and it was certainly a breath of fresh air. While the centre will definitely get busier and busier as kids return from their summer break and local clubs begin utilising the facilities, it may be worth taking a stroll down and seeing what all the fuss is about while it's relatively quiet and brand new.
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