On K2’s third anniversary last month, the management of the leisure centre in Crawley was handed over to Freedom Leisure, in partnership with Greenwich Leisure and Crawley Borough Council.

Following the management changeover, plans for the centre include additional on-site car parking, a redesign of the reception area, general redecoration, the refurbishment of the squash courts and the introduction of a bouldering facility to complement the existing climbing wall. "We are confident that our K2 customers will enjoy a 'seamless' transition," said Jeff Hart, Freedom Leisure's managing director.

"We want to reassure all users that they will continue to see the same faces when they visit and enjoy the same high level of service. There are no planned price increases as a result of the change and pool and exercise classes will remain the same until January 2009 when a new programme will be introduced. "We will also be inviting customer feedback and setting up User Groups to enable us to listen and respond directly to any suggestions or comments our customers may have."

Councillor Beryl MeCrow, Cabinet member for Leisure and Culture at Crawley Borough Council, added: "I'm very excited about the future for K2. We already have one of the best leisure centres in the country which attracts many local residents as well as top athletes. "However, I'm confident this new management arrangement will see things get even better for regular and new users of K2. "Special events like Superstars and the possibility of being an Olympic and Paralympic training camp are fantastic, but we must look after our day-to-day customers first and foremost.

"The most important reason for having built K2 and to continue investing in it is to get more people involved in physical activity." Photograph: Chris Symonds, Director of Development (GLL), Crawley Borough Council's Deputy Mayor, Cllr Brenda Burgess and Jeff Hart, Managing Director, Freedom Leisure