Dalton Leisure Centre

About Us

Open August 1987

The official opening was by Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon on September 18th, 1987.

Who Built The Centre

The Centre was built for the Trust under the Community Programme of the Manpower Services Commission and provided employment for a total of 270 people between October 1982 and June 1987. A great deal of voluntary work also went into the project and thousands of unpaid hours were put in by dozens of helpers (both male and female) before the Centre was ready to open at the end of August, 1987.

Who Owns The Centre?

The Centre is owned by The Dalton and District Recreational Charity Trust and is built upon land leased to the Trust for 99 years by Barrow Borough Council at a nominal rent.

What Did It Cost And Where Did The Money Come From?

The total cost including the furnishings and equipment, was £1,260,000. The cash was raised from the following sources:

Fund Raising

The fund raising was the responsibility of the Dalton and District Baths Building Fund Association. The main thrust of the fund raising was the weekly collection by some 50 dedicated people which started in September, 1979 and continued for 71/2 years until March, 1987 and raised £88,500 (an average of £227 per week). The Baths Shop in Station Road and special efforts organised by the Building Fund and many other organisations and individuals contributed £66,000. Donations brought in £42,000 and interest on invested funds yielded £56,000.

What Does It Cost To Operate The Centre?

Operating costs are about £360,000 per annum, which means an average daily take of £1000 is needed to break even.

Who Operates The Centre?

The Centre is operated by a limited company, Dalton Leisure Services Limited, whose shares are owned by the Dalton-in-Furness and District Recreational Charity Trust.

The directors of Dalton Leisure Services Limited, who are appointed by the Trust are:

They have the responsibility of ensuring that the Centre runs efficiently and that enough income is generated for the Centre to pay its way - they do not receive financial help from outside sources such as Dalton Parish Council, Cumbria County Council or Barrow Borough Council.

The Centre manager and Director, Bernard McPeake, heads a staff of around 30 of which 5 are full time employee's.

Who Controls The Centre?

The Centre is Ultimately controlled by the adult of population of the area which formed the former Urban District Council of Barrow-in-Furness, (i.e. Dalton, Askam, Ireleth, Marton, Lindal and Newton). All these people are entitled to attend and vote at the annual general meeting of the Trust which is held in March every year and advertised in the Advertiser.

The Trust is managed by a committee which meets twice yearly and is elected at the annual general meeting.

The present members of the committee are: