Nene Park Trust appeals for help to bridge £3.5 million funding gap for  34.25 metres high Climbing Wall

Bosses at Nene Park Trust have issued an appeal for help to raise the cash needed to pay for the £14 million facility which is earmarked for a site adjacent to Gunwade Lake in Ferry Meadows.

The trust says it is using funds from its reserves to meet half of the costs and there has also been other funding from other sources of £500,000.

In addition, £3 million of government funding has been earmarked for the project from the £22.9 million Peterborough Towns Fund.

The plea is made in the Trust’s newly released Investing in Impact document, which was unveiled recently at a meeting of city business leaders.

The document states: “We seek financial support to help to bridge the remaining funding gap of £3.5 million that will allow this ambitious, transformative project to proceed.”

Plans for the Climbing Wall, which will be 34.25 metres high, were first unveiled in 2018, when the cost was expected to be £5 million.

It was originally hoped the centre would open in 2020 ahead of the Tokyo Olympic Games, where climbing was expected to feature for the first time.

Now the trust states that it hopes the facility, called the Lakeside Activity Centre, will open to the public in 2026.

The prospectus states: “We will create England’s only bespoke Olympic -standard climbing facility and family recreation hub in Ferry Meadows.

"This iconic landmark will not only become a national centre of excellence for climbing and para-climbing but we will also offer fully accessible year round play and fitness opportunities for all ages and abilities.”

What will go in the Lakeside Activity Centre?

The Lakeside Activity Centre is intended to be an all year-round, all-weather indoor activity centre that will feature one of the country’s largest Clip ‘n Climb arenas suitable for all ages and an Olympic- standard climbing facility.

There will also be a natural-themed indoor toddler play area, an additional café and private hire spaces for community groups.

The centre is expected to create 31 jobs and to generate £2 million a year for the city’s economy.

The Lakeside Activity Centre is part of Nene Park Trust’s 30 year masterplan to transform Nene Park and extend its reach across the city promoting healthy lifestyles, building communities and celebrating culture.

Tallest buildings in Peterborough:

• Peterborough Cathedral - 44 metres.
• Cumberland House, in St Mary's Court - 40 metres.
• Apex House, in London Road - 34 metres.