The Park Sports Centre celebrates 40 years

1985 - Boris Becker, became the youngest player to win Wimbledon, Dennis Taylor won a last frame victory against Steve Davies, Nigel Mansell won his first grand prix, Manchester United won the FA Cup, and the doors of the Park Sports Centre were opened on 25th October 1985, by Sir Roger Bannister (1929-2018) famed for running a mile in under 4 minutes (3.59.4) in Oxford. The first time this had ever been achieved. 

 

The Park Sports Centre, just 4.5 miles from where the record was broken, was built as a joint venture between South Oxfordshire Council and Oxfordshire County Council, to provide sporting facilities for the local community of Wheatley and Holton and provision for a sports hall for Wheatley Park School, under a dual use agreement. 

 

The centre was originally built with a five-badminton court sports hall, four squash courts, a gym, changing rooms and a cafe/bar.  
A Dance Studio was added in 1997, using money from the National Lottery Sports fund and opened officially in 1998. 

 

Around 2010, the centre saw a major reshuffle. The cafe/bar was taken out and along with one squash court and a new gym was created. This work included the installation of a mezzanine floor. 

 

The old gym was then converted into a meeting room and in subsequent years transformed into two changing rooms for the school to use.  
Early in 2025, the gym was refurbished and refitted with new equipment, and new flooring was put down on the floor upstairs 
As we approach the final weeks in 2025, the centre is undergoing further changes to it into the 21st century with green initiatives through decarbonisation work. The old cavity wall insulation has been removed and refilled.  The roofing will be replaced over the coming weeks, and solar panels will be installed early 2026. Following this work, the old boilers will be removed and heat pumps installed. 
The squash court walls are set to be repaired and re- painted over the coming weeks and the sports hall floor repaired. 

 

 Our classes continue to be very popular, and currently we offer, Core Conditioning, Body Conditioning, Group Cycle, Yoga and Legs Tums and Bums. We are always looking for new instructors and classes to offer. 
We run our own gymnastics sessions, that have gone from strength to strength. Our classes are always full, and we have a waiting list. 200 children from 4 to 16 enjoy developing their skills and having fun. Many of the older children become helpers and then become assistant coaches. 

 

Another success is our Saturday night roller skating sessions. We have up to 75 customers of all ages whizzing around the sports hall on tiny little wheels for 90 minutes, accompanied by music and flashing lights. 

 

We also offer roller skating parties and bouncy castle parties at the weekend. 

 

We have a great relationship with the local community and many local sports clubs and associations hire our facilities in the evenings and at weekends. 

 

We are a small centre, with no swimming pool and we are hidden away in a village setting on a school site and yet we are popular through word of mouth due to our customer service and the activities we offer. 

 

We look forward to growing over the coming years and welcoming more customers. 

 

Not a bad history for a centre where a third of the workforce (and some of their parents) were not even born in 1985!