Significant investments to Council facilities at North Hykeham and Whisby
Council facilities in and around North Hykeham are receiving significant investment – totalling over £375,000 – in the form of energy saving measures and visitor improvements.
Whisby Natural World Centre and the OneNK leisure centre in North Hykeham have been fitted with new solar panel arrays in order to reduce their carbon dioxide consumption.
The array fitted at One NK will save 29,170kg of carbon dioxide per year via 400 panels, generating over 150,000kWh of electricity per year. The 71 solar panels fitted at Whisby are designed to generate 27,670kWh of electricity every year, saving 5,350kg of carbon dioxide from reduced energy use.
North Kesteven’s leisure facilities are a major consumer of energy, with OneNK’s usage alone responsible for on average 26% of council’s carbon emissions in recent years, so ‘decarbonising’ this site is a key priority. Whisby Natural World Centre has, on average, been responsible for just under 3% of the Council’s emissions in recent years.
The installation at OneNK cost £165,713 which was funded by Sport England’s Swimming Pool Support Fund Phase Two, which supports local authorities across England in improving the energy efficiency of facilities with public swimming pools. This national investment will help ensure that millions of people can continue to use these facilities, helping Sport England to meet its goal of getting 3.5 million more people active by 2030.
The work at Whisby cost £37,524 which was taken from the Council’s Climate Action Reserve, a fund established to pay for work like this as part of our ongoing commitment to climate action.
In their first month – a dull February - the installations have already saved 1.8t of CO2e, that’s the equivalent of planting 115 trees.
Alongside the solar installation at Whisby, a new system of interior and exterior LED lighting has been fitted to help further reduce the energy consumption of the centre. It’s anticipated that the new lighting will save 59% of the electricity and carbon emissions currently used and comes at a cost of £56,438.
Further work at Whisby includes a full reinstallation of decking in the Boardwalk Café’s outdoor seating area, which has been replaced with a more durable, composite material that is made of 90% recycled materials and has a carbon footprint lower than wood. Compared to the previous wooden surface, which was reaching the end of its lifespan, the new space is now safer and more accessible for visitors, costing £51,374.
Whisby’s sand play area will also undergo a full refurbishment thanks to a grant worth £21,180 from Tarmac Community Landfill Trust, making it a more inclusive experience for people of all ages and abilities.
Elsewhere in the vicinity, as previously announced, the footpath at Millennium Green has undergone a full resurface with durable crushed granite, designed to create an accessible surface for people of all abilities. This work, worth £45,636, was funded by contributions under Section 106 from developments in the locality, where developers contribute funding to deliver infrastructure in the local area that benefits the community.
Council Leader Councillor Richard Wright said: “This flurry of work really demonstrates our commitment to providing great services for local people – both by providing visitor upgrades and by futureproofing our facilities.
“Investing in renewable energy measures not only helps our operations become cleaner and greener, but also in the long term contributes to their financial sustainability, as some of their energy needs can be met at a lower cost in future.
“We hope that visitors to these local sites will enjoy the upgrades and improvements, all of which are designed to provide a better experience and increase their enjoyment of their leisure time in North Kesteven.”