New outdoor centre to feature ‘wakeboarding’ on Burnley's Rowley Lake (From This Is Lancashire)

New outdoor centre to feature ‘wakeboarding’ on Burnley's Rowley Lake

11:30am Friday 14th September 2012 in News By Tyrone Marshall, Reporter

AN OUTDOOR sports centre planned for Burnley could become one of the biggest in the north.

Ambitious plans have been unveiled to create an ‘outstanding’ centre that could host a variety of sports around Rowley Lake.

The highlights of the centre is set to be a cable-operated wakeboarding system — created to take users across the lake without the need to be towed by speedboat.

The project called Wake Brun Valley would be one of only a handful across the UK.

The plan is to then further develop the lakeside centre, adding canoeing and orienteering to the activities based there as well as setting up a ‘multi-discipline’ cycling centre.

Council chiefs hope the facility would attract visitors from a ‘wide area’, and would put Burnley on the map for its offering of outdoor sports.

Funding is close to being secured for the £130,000 project, which is part of the council’s Brun Valley Forest Park scheme.

Coun John Harbour, executive member for leisure and culture, said: “We have an ambitious vision for Brun Valley Forest Park — now we have to find the funds to make it a reality.

“Balancing the needs of a wide range of users from those that want to be active across the lake to those people who want a quiet walk, will be key.

“If successful, this will provide Burnley with an outstanding outdoor sports centre that would attract visitors from a wide area.”

The council has already secured funding for the cable-opeated wakeboarding system, but is now submitting an application to the Sports England Inspired Facilities fund for some of the rest of the work.

If successful it is hoped that the scheme could be up and running next year, and a club will be established to offer coaching and equipment hire.

Coun Harbour said: “It’s excellent news that we’re one of only five successful bids for initial funding for the wakeboarding project. We now have to build on this by exploring other funding avenues to take this exciting project forward.”

Once the water sports element of the scheme has been secured, the next part of the vision is to create the cycling centre.

It will include a one kilometre closed circuit cycle track and a BMX track, as well as access to mountain bike trails within the forest park.

The aim is to host a cycling club that will cater for and develop cycle sports, recreational cycling and health projects.

There is also the potential for a “Wheels for All” centre hosting a disability cycling club.

Beyond the plans for the wakeboarding and cycling, the council wants to expand the facility to create an ‘outdoor centre of sporting excellence’.

This would offer canoeing, trail running, orienteering, angling and triathlon.

Councillors will discuss the scheme on September 18.