My Visit to
Seven Towers Leisure Centre
AUTISM FRIENDLY MEA 1 | My Visit to Seven Towers Leisure Centre
Welcome to Seven Towers Leisure Centre Everyone feels different when visiting a new place or trying something new. There are new sounds, smells and you may not know what to expect. This guide will help you get ready for your trip. It will: • Tell you how to get to and enter Seven Towers Leisure Centre • Introduce you to some of the people who work here • Explain how to find your way around • Show you some of the things that you can do when you visit We are here to help Here are some of the staff you might meet on your visit. They are our Autism Champions. You can ask them, or any of the staff in this uniform, for help while you are with us.
Katrina McCaughan Sports Development Officer
Jonathan Wylie Leisure Centre Manager
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Lesley McLaughin MEActive Coach
Help Keep #OurMEA Safe
Since the Covid-19 pandemic began, we have all had to make adjustments to what we do in public places. If government guidelines allow, we will keep this leisure centre open so that people can keep fit and active. However, you may still have to keep 2m social distance, wash your hands regularly, and wear a face mask unless you are exempt. We expect these rules to be in place for a longer time. It might be annoying, or it might feel strange, but it also means you can relax in the knowledge that we are making the leisure centre as safe as we can for everyone to enjoy.
20 SECS
Wash hands
Cover face
Thank you for your cooperation.
Make space
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Getting to Seven Towers Leisure Centre
Castle Street
A26
Bridge Street
Trostan Avenue
Tardree Grove
A26 Braid River
Henry Street
Demesne Avenue
Bridgewater Roundabout
Seven Towers Leisure Centre
A26
Queen Street Larne Street
Braid River
Seven Towers Leisure Centre can be accessed via bus, car and by foot. Ballymena bus/train station is a 10-15 minute walk from the entrance of the building. If arriving by car, the centre has an extensive car park to the side and back of the centre.
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Arriving at Seven Towers Leisure Centre
This is the entrance that will take you into Seven Towers Leisure Centre. Walk up the ramp to the front door. The entrance brings you in at the first floor.
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Finding Your Way Around The leisure centre is on three floors. These are colour-coded on the map below, and throughout this guide. To help you navigate around the building, each of the three levels are signposted and floor maps highlight the various leisure areas, toilets and changing facilities available. ENTRANCE LEVEL (FIRST FLOOR) Reception, viewing gallery, vending machines, seating area and toilets.
Toilets
Reception area Access to all levels
Main Entrance
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Cafe
Finding Your Way Around GROUND LEVEL Swimming Pool and Changing Village, Fitness Room Dance Studio and Squash Courts. Ramp to Sports Hall, Committee Room and Table Tennis
Sports Hall Swimming Pools
Learner Pool
Main Pool
Aerobics Studio Access to all levels
Squash Courts
Changing Village
Fitness Suite
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Finding Your Way Around BASEMENT LEVEL Minor Hall
Multi Use Hall
Minor Hall Male Female Changing Changing
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The Reception Area ENTRANCE LEVEL (FIRST FLOOR)
When you enter, you will be greeted by one of our staff at the Reception desk, where you can purchase your ticket for your leisure activity session. This area can be become noisy and busy due to its central location beside the entrance/exit. The Reception staff can point you in the right direction for where you want to go. From here, you will go to a different area of the centre depending on what activity you are going to take part in. You can use stairs or the lift to bring you down to the Ground Level. Please note, there is no Lift to the Basement Level.
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Viewing gallery ENTRANCE LEVEL (FIRST FLOOR)
From the Reception area, you can also see the viewing window and way to the viewing gallery for the swimming pools. There are vending machines up here if you want to buy something to eat or drink.
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Getting to Ground Level ENTRANCE LEVEL (FIRST FLOOR) These are the stairs and lift that lead down to the Ground Level. Continuing right will lead you to: • Swimming pool and Changing Village • Fitness Room • Dance Studio • Squash Courts
Continuing left will lead you to: • Sports hall • Committee Room • Table Tennis • Minor Hall
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Changing Village GROUND LEVEL
On the Ground level corridor, you will find the entrance to the Changing Village for the swimming pools. This area can be noisy if it is busy, with lots of people talking, using hairdryers and banging doors. Staff can be washing the floors to keep it clean. Sometimes there can be a strong smell of cleaning chemicals. There are male, female, disability and family/group changing facilities.
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Swimming Pools Area GROUND LEVEL
This is the swimming pools area. There are three pools - a main pool, minor pool and leisure pool with slides. There can be a strong smell of chemicals that help keep the area clean. It is a great place to have fun, but it can be busy and full of laughter, splashing, the sound of water running over the edge of the pool, and loud public announcements. There are lifeguards on duty to keep everyone safe. Sometimes they can blow a whistle to get a swimmer’s attention. There are also rules to follow to make sure no one slips, or gets into trouble in the water. These are on the next page. 12 | My Visit to Seven Towers Leisure Centre
Swimming pool rules
4
We hope that enjoy your swimming experience and ask that you follow our rules:
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Fitness Suite GROUND LEVEL This is the entrance to the fitness suite. You can get here by taking the stairs or the lift.
The fitness suite has a lot of equipment where you can work out. This is a very noisy area with the sounds of equipment being used, people talking or shouting, and music playing to help keep people motivated. There may also be noise from public announcement systems being used. However we run quiet sessions where there is no music playing – speak to our staff to find out more. This area is staffed at all times, if you have any problems or would like to book in for an induction to the fitness suite, please speak to a staff member who will be glad to assist you. 14 | My Visit to Seven Towers Leisure Centre
Other things to do on Ground Level GROUND LEVEL
Squash courts You can play squash in our squash courts. Squash courts may have loud echo from the ball bouncing and participants shouting. 15 | My Visit to Seven Towers Leisure Centre
Other things to do on Ground Level GROUND LEVEL
Sports Hall This is our main hall where you can play different sports such as badminton, table-tennis, aerobics and football. If there are a lot of people participating, it can be noisy. But it is a great space to have fun and get active with others.
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Minor Hall BASEMENT LEVEL
Minor Hall You can take an exercise class in our Minor Hall. This could be a spin class, dancing or martial arts. There may be loud music being played during classes.
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Useful Information We are committed to welcoming everyone to Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s facilities. As well as producing this guide, we have signage in place around the building to help people with a range of needs find their way around. We also run accessible classes and sessions for individuals with additional needs or disabilities, and for those who would prefer a quieter time to enjoy the centre. For more details, please ask a member of staff. Fire alarms If a fire alarm sounds, please make your way to the nearest fire exit. Staff will be there to help you.
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Opening/Closing Times Monday
7.30am-10pm
Tuesday
8.45am- 10pm
Wednesday
7.30am-10pm
Thursday
8.45am-10pm
Friday
7.30am- 10pm
Saturday
9am-5pm
Sunday
12noon - 5pm
These are our normal operating hours. To check if they are different due to Covid-19, please visit our website.
Contact Details Seven Towers Leisure Centre Trostan Avenue, Ballymena, BT43 7BL T: 028 2563 3382 www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk/stlc If you have any problems or issues, please speak to a member of staff who will be glad to help you. Staff will be wearing our branded leisurewear.
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Thank you for reading our guide. We are looking forward to seeing you soon. During your visit to Seven Towers Leisure Centre if you have any questions about ANY part of our facilities or your experience there, please ask to speak to either the Duty Manager or one of the Autism Champions, who are pictured in the front of this guide. All staff will be able to assist you while in the building or using any of the facilities if required. If you have any suggestions for improvement, again please ask to speak to either the Duty Manager or one of the Autism Champions. We hope this guide helps you prepare for your visit, helps you find your way around during your visit and makes it easier for you to enjoy your time with us
AUTISM FRIENDLY MEA 20 | My Visit to Seven Towers Leisure Centre