Everyone Active responds to Havering Daily hygiene exclusive at Central Park Leisure Centre.

Following yesterday’s article in the Havering Daily regarding health and hygiene at Central Park Leisure Centre in Harold Hill, Everyone Active have responded below:

Tom Fletcher, area contract manager at Everyone Active, commented: “We would like to address the concerns that have been raised by someone who we appears to have been a member of our external overnight cleaning contractors at Central Park Leisure Centre.

“We would like to assure customers that we take the quality and cleanliness of our leisure centre very seriously. Both centre colleagues and our contracted external cleaning company have a clearly defined schedule for cleaning across the centre which outlines responsibilities, standards and methods. Cleaners are employed by Everyone Active during the day to maintain the cleanliness of the building during operational hours. Out of hours cleaners are responsible for a full and thorough clean each evening when closed to the public where all areas are accessible”.

Points raised in the article:

Ceiling Tiles

“We are near completion of ongoing maintenance works to our external roof and guttering due to a deterioration of the roofs fabric. This issue has caused leaks across the centre.  As a result of the damage, some of the areas photographed, including those with damage to the ceiling, are taken of areas that are not accessible to the public. Once the roof work has been completed, this area and a number of other smaller issue around the centre we have historically had with leaks will be rectified and re-opened to the public. We would not allow public access in to any area that is unsafe or unhygienic.”

Drain fly larvae 

“As part of our extensive cleaning regime, we receive monthly visits from a pest control company. Following our closure during lockdown, we identified some drain fly larvae under our drainage system which were subsequently dealt with by the company who conducted a complete clean of the area. 

“These larvae are harmless to the public and were present as a result of being shut during lockdown. Since the problem was identified, we have brought in a specialist drain cleaning contractor to service the drains regularly. Our pest control contractor has also been advising us on the ongoing control measure and is confident that we are doing everything we can to keep the situation under control in order to eradicate the issue”.

Bins and changing facilities

“We can assure our customers that our general waste and recycling bins are emptied daily, and we employ a sanitation contractor to carry out the disposal of nappy and sanitary bins every week. 

“Our changing rooms are checked and cleaned throughout the day by centre colleagues and are cleaned and disinfected each evening by our contracted external cleaning company.”

Cleaning the floors

“Using chlorinated water to wash down poolside between sessions is common practice across the industry and is recommended by PWTAG (pool water treatment advisory group). Chlorinated water has excellent disinfection properties and reduces the need to use harsh chemicals that can interfere with the balance of the swimming pool water. The water from poolside then goes through drains to be filtered, treated with UV light and re chlorinated before re-entering the swimming pool.”

Water fountain

“The image of the gym water fountain is the waste water pipe and the waste water container. Fresh mains drinking water is delivered to the fountain, this enters the filter and chiller before reaching the tap. The water fountains, filter and chiller are all on a regular maintenance and service contract with water logic who supply them.

“The need for waste water containers is because there is no drainage in the areas that we need to provide fresh drinking water to our customers. We have these in a number of areas and they are on a regular cleaning schedule.”

Sauna and pool cleaning

“The sauna cabin is cleaned by centre colleagues following manufacturers guidelines to protect the wooden cabin from the wrong type of chemicals. The sauna was completely replaced in 2019 just prior to lockdown, is regularly serviced and is on our centre cleaning schedule.

“Deep cleaning of our swimming pool surrounds is periodically completed and scheduled in around our pool programme.  The swimming pool itself is cleaned by an underwater pool cleaner.”

“We would like to once again reassure our visitors and members that we take the cleanliness and safety of our centres extremely seriously and take pride in providing a welcoming environment for both our customers and colleagues.”