Medway Park Sports Centre

Black Lion Field Initial proposals for a major new sports facility in Gillingham date to 1955, when Gillingham Borough Council and neighbouring boroughs first mooted a combined sports centre for the town’s growing population. In 1963 the authorities identified the disused “Black Lion Field” (adjacent to the Chatham Lines fortifications) as the preferred site for the project. The field was a former military recreation area known as the Black Lion Field and was used for local military recreation by the Royal Engineers. However, funding and planning took many years to finalize, and construction did not begin until the early 1970s. Black Lion Leisure Centre The Black Lion Leisure Centre officially opened on 14 December 1973 by Sir Roger Bannister, who is best known for being the first person to run a sub-four-minute mile. The centre was designed to meet the growing demand for recreational facilities in the area and initially featured a swimming pool, gymnasium, and sports hall. The first lengths of the pool were swum by three local swimmers: eight-year-old Paul Hardy, 18-year-old Janet Bowles, and 78-year-old Bert Bishop, a member of Gillingham Swimming Club. The opening weekend saw 1,705 swimmers visit the new facility, and thousands more would use the pool in the years to follow. the English Closed Table Tennis Championships, and performances by the Royal Shakespeare Company, including Richard III. This period also saw visits from notable athletes such as snooker's Steve Davis, badminton's Gillian Gilks and Mike Tredgett, and table tennis champion Jill Hammersley. larger sports halls, a judo centre, and new gym facilities. The expansion was completed in 2010, and in 2011, the facility was officially renamed Medway Park Sports Centre. It was opened by HRH Princess Anne, who also unveiled a commemorative plaque at the venue. Medway Park became a training site for 13 Olympic and 8 Paralympic sports in the lead-up to the 2012 London Olympics. It has since hosted international competitions such as the Modern Pentathlon World Cup, European Modern Pentathlon Championships, Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Medway Park played a vital role in the local community, first becoming an emergency shopping hub and later serving as the largest local COVID Test Centre. Since the lifting of COVID restrictions, the centre has hosted the International Dance Championship and continues to host world-class events like the National Army Sapper Games, the David Ward Hunt Cup International Trampoline Championship, and the World Indoor Archery Championships. the memorial's surroundings were enhanced with new paving, seating, and landscaping. == Black Lion Skatepark ==

The Black Lion Skatepark was a concrete skatepark on the site of the Black Lion Field. Built in 1978 during the late-1970s boom of skateboarding and BMX, it was active until its closure in 1987. It was funded by local businessman Alfred Faccenda. History Black Lion Skatepark opened in August 1978. The skatepark was designed by Adrian Rolt’s G-Force team and built by Skate Park Construction Ltd). The summer of 1977 saw the first UK skatepark (Skate City, London) and by 1978 dozens of concrete parks were built across Britain. Black Lion was among the last of the early wave (earlier examples included Brighton’s Barn, Romford’s Rom, Harrow’s Solid Surf). The peak popularity is illustrated by the fact that in 1977 “skateboards [were] the most popular Christmas present in Britain”​. However, the craze soon faltered. Skateboarding “went underground” by 1979, and many parks closed. Just as skateboarding waned, the BMX bicycle movement surged in the early 1980s. This action - carried out by the local council – effectively ended the skatepark. Remarkably, no official record of this decision appears in the council minutes. but this is disputed. Anecdotal accounts suggest personal politics played a role: a local councillor who lived near the park allegedly objected to the noise and youth gatherings, which “sealed the fate” of the park. In any case, the closure was abrupt and unexplained in official channels. It left many in the community feeling that a valued amenity was lost without democratic discussion. Legacy and commemoration In recent years the Black Lion has gained renewed interest as a piece of heritage: • Oral histories & research: Photographer Rikard Österlund (a Medway resident) spearheaded a project to document the park's history. His work – funded by a Heritage Place grant – involved interviewing former riders and collecting archival photos. (An earlier 2015 e-petition to Medway Council failed to gather any signatures, indicating limited official traction.) The 2016 campaign did not lead to excavation but raised awareness. • Social media & community groups: Facebook and Instagram communities (e.g. “Gillingham Skatepark Project”) and local bloggers have highlighted Black Lion’s history. Images circulate online of the park’s neon-curved bowls and the riders who loved it. The story of Black Lion is often cited as cautionary emblem – its loss is still lamented by Medway skateboarders. • Exhibitions: Photos from the Read & Destroy Archive (by Ian Dobbie) and others have been shown to new audiences. A recent exhibition at Analogue Music in Rochester (Spring 2025) presented period BMX bikes and skateboards from the era, further marking the skatepark’s cultural impact. These modern efforts – talks, petitions, art shows – frame Black Lion as local heritage. Österlund emphasizes that for skaters it was a "safe haven" and "second home". University of London urban historian Iain Borden has even noted that 1970s British skateparks like Black Lion are an important strand of youth culture history. == Transport ==

Medway Park Sports Centre is accessible by various modes of transport, with good connections to the surrounding areas. Public Transport • Bus: Medway Park is served by the 182 and 101 bus routes, which stop at the Medway Park War Memorial (Stop E) and Stop F. These buses run in both directions, with routes that start from Maidstone, pass through Chatham, Brompton, Gillingham, continue to Twydall, and then return to the starting points. This allows for convenient access to the centre from across the Medway area. • Train: The nearest train station is Gillingham railway station, located approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) from Medway Park. Gillingham station is served by trains on the Chatham Main Line, offering connections to London, Rochester, Chatham, and other locations in Kent. From the station, visitors can reach Medway Park by bus or on foot. Car • Parking: Medway Park has a pay and display car park for general use. An overflow car park is also available to accommodate additional vehicles when necessary. Additionally, visitors can access free parking by entering their number plate details on an onscreen boarding tablet inside the centre. This allows customers to park for free during their visit, a service that is commonly used by patrons. The car park includes 10 spaces for disabled parking. Previously, the car park was known as the "Black Lion Car Park" in a 1967 London Gazette issue. Cycling • Cycling Access: Medway Park is accessible by bicycle, with bike racks provided for secure parking. There are cycling routes in the surrounding area, facilitating access to the venue by bike. Walking • Pedestrian Access: Medway Park is within walking distance of several residential and commercial areas in Gillingham. The centre is connected by local pedestrian routes, making it easily accessible on foot from locations such as Gillingham town centre and Gillingham railway station. ==Wheelchair rugby league==

In March 2012, the Medway Dragons launched their wheelchair rugby league team at Medway Park. Later that month, the venue hosted a 12-hour-long match between Medway Dragons and the London Broncos foundation setting a world record for the longest wheelchair rugby league match. Medway Park was first used for international competition in August 2012 when it hosted the inaugural Fassolette-Kielty Trophy match between and . The following year it was the host venue for the World Cup, held as part of the 2013 Festival of World Cups. In 2014, it was the venue for the Four Nations tournament, and in 2015 it hosted the Fassolette-Kielty Trophy and the European Championship. In November 2021, Medway Park was the venue for a two-test series between England and France. == Gallery of Medway Park Sports Centre ==

File:Medway Park Sports Centre entrance - April 2025.jpg|The entrance to Medway Park Sports Centre by Mill Road - April 2025 File:Medway Park welcome sign by Mill Road - Gillingham, Medway.jpg|Welcome sign for the sports centre File:Medway-Park-01.jpg|A stainless steel sculpture, Olympic Countdown Clock, beside the entrance to the sports centre File:Reception area - Medway Park Sports Centre, Gillingham.jpg|The reception/lobby area of the sports centre File:Adult gym interior with cardio equipment on first floor of Medway Park Sports Centre, Gillingham, Kent, England.jpg File:Medway Sports Park - panoramio.jpg|The athletics track within the sports centre's grounds ==See also==