Canada Water Leisure Centre’s new eight-lane swimming pool
If you like to move, Canada Water is the place to be. With many open spaces perfect for outdoor workouts, an urban landscape designed to promote walking and cycling, and the Decathlon store selling a wide range of sports equipment and hosting activities ranging from pickleball to fencing, it’s very much an active neighbourhood.
As the development takes shape, the health and wellbeing offer is growing. Here, we look at some of the spaces in Canada Water designed to get you moving.
Canada Water Leisure Centre
Canada Water’s new sports hall, which will cater to a variety of recreational activities
Due to open its doors this in just a few weeks, the new Canada Water Leisure Centre replaces the old Seven Islands premises with a state-of-the-art facility. Expect a world-class gym, an eight-lane swimming pool, a learner pool, fitness studios (yoga, spin) and a spacious sports hall ready for basketball, badminton, football and more.
To make sure the leisure centre is accessible to all, it’s being fitted with a host of features designed in line with the requirements of Sport England. These include pool hoists to help deliver swimming sessions for people with additional access needs, adjustable-height rowing and weight machines, and lifts that can accommodate an entire wheelchair basketball team.
When you’ve finished your workout, the nearby Dock Office Gardens offers a perfect place to relax and catch your breath, while the newly opened Corner Corner or new restaurants opening later in the year will be convenient and social spots to refuel.
Surrey Quays Watersports Centre
With the weather warming up, the idea of exploring Canada Water’s blue spaces is getting more enticing. Greenland Dock is a historic remnant of Surrey Commercial Docks, once a major hub for whaling ships. These days it’s home to Surrey Docks Fitness and Watersports Centre, where you can try activities ranging including wild swimming, sailing, kayaking, canoeing, rowing and power boating.
The Arch climbing centre
Bouldering at The Arch
How about a full-body workout that builds strength and flexibility while enhancing balance, co-ordination and problem-solving skills?
The Arch, in Surrey Quays Shopping Centre, offers a broad range of bouldering walls with routes catering to everyone from complete beginners to experienced climbers. Bouldering is climbing without ropes up to a height of around 4m, with soft matting underneath – the only equipment you need is climbing shoes, which can be hired on site.
Various single sessions and memberships are available, as is instruction for those who need it. The centre is open to all ages and features a kids’ area as well as training areas and a simple café.
Rocket Padel
Padel rackets and balls
Southwark Council has granted our planning application for four padel courts at the Surrey Quays Shopping Centre end of Canada Water Dock, near the entrance to Rafter Walk. It will open in a few weeks – keep watching our social media channels for news.
Rocket Padel currently run padel courts at Battersea Power Station and in Ilford and Bristol. The new courts will be open for play from 7am to 10pm, seven days a week, available for anyone to book.
5k running route
Feeling inspired to pound the streets as Canada Water prepares to welcome more than 50,000 runners for the London Marathon? Try our 5km running route, which takes you on a circuit of the development’s many green and blue spaces with only one major road to cross.
