Borough Life Spring 2006: Village People win historic victory
On a rainy winter’s night five years ago, Leigh Miners Welfare Institute hosted a meeting that, in hindsight, may be seen to have changed the future of the town.
Sporting clubs, schools and community leaders, still smarting from the rejection of the ill-fated Xanadu snowdome plans, got together to decide if the time was right to change track.
Was there a chance of creating a sports and education complex that had widespread grassroots community support? Equally important, could the town’s sporting clubs sink any differences and share the facilities?
Three Leythers with a common love of sport were there on that February night: Richard Waterfield, chairman of the famous baking firm (and now also chair of Wigan and Leigh College governors), Leigh Miners rugby club’s Trevor Barton and Wigan Council leader Peter Smith.
Cllr Smith said: “It was still a dream then, but thanks to a massive amount of work by all concerned the sharing concept has evolved. It has become the foundation of what has happened over the past five years. With the fantastic support of Leigh people it really is about to happen.”