PLANS to have another major multi-sports facility built on the Island have been given the financial backing of sports label giants Adidas.
A grant application to the company, made by the IW Council’s sports unit, for half of the £150,000 needed to build a state-of-the-art adiZone facility, was given the green light last week.
The council has pledged to match fund the £75,000 needed to get it built at Sandham Gardens, Sandown.
The all-weather gym facility, to be created in the shape of the London 2012 Olympics logo, is planned to be installed and officially opened in June. A number of these gyms have been installed around the country, including several in the capital.
It will include gym equipment, a basketball area, soccer goal, tennis and climbing walls and a freestyle area, to encourage activities such as street cheerleading.
It will be accessible not just to youngsters, but to the disabled and older people.
Lord Coe, chairman of the London 2012 Organising Committee, said: "It is fantastic to see Adidas expanding the adiZone programme to Sandown. The adiZones inspire young people to become more active and help make our vision of encouraging these young people to choose a sport a reality."
AdiZone, designed to encourage families to be more active, will add to the already growing leisure facilities at Sandham Gardens.
They include the Steven Jenkins Memorial Park, the Fort Skatepark and a new multi-use games area.
After the first year, the town council would need to find £2,700 a year, for at least four years, to maintain it.
The Island’s councillor for Sandown North, Heather Humby, said: "This is a real positive for Sandown. The kids in the town have been saying, for quite a few years now, that there is nothing for them to do. Thankfully, this new facility will put that right."