Dartford Judo Club wins leisure building of the year award
Dartford's new Olympic standard Judo Centre has scooped top prize at this week’s prestigious Retail and Leisure Property Awards. The Centre beat competition from around the country to be named the UK’s 'Best Public Sector-funded leisure development' at the awards organised by Property Week magazine.
The £4.5 million Judo Centre, which was opened in March this year by HRH The Princess Royal, is the country's only double-dojo training facility and home to the internationally renowned Dartford Judo Club
The award-winning centre was the first purpose built training centre to meet Olympic training standards since London won the race to host the 2012 Olympic Games.
Jeremy Kite, Leader of Dartford Borough Council, attended the awards ceremony at the Grosvenor House hotel with architect Matt White and other key members of the development team.
"We set out to make Dartford Judo Centre a stunning building and a fantastic centre of excellence for Judo but this award demonstrates its national significance for sport more generally," Jeremy said.
"With so many developers wanting to build in the borough it is absolutely vital that we place quality design and community benefit at the front of our minds. We demanded the best design and build quality for the Dartford Dojo and this has led to a major award and national recognition. Other developers in Dartford and across the Thames Gateway should be aware of the standard to beat."
"On the mat Dartford Judo Club is one of the country's most successful sports clubs, with a string of Olympic, commonwealth and national awards it will be a great spur to the young judo players with an eye on 2012 that they have a very special facility to match their talent.
The Dartford Dojo is expected to become a key coaching centre for the British Judo Association in advance of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2012 London Olympics.
Funded with £3.75 million from Dartford Borough Council and grants of £450,000 from Sport England and £250,000 from Kent County Council, the development highlights the success of combining efforts to deliver top quality facilities.
Designed to international standard specifications by make architects the Dojo, which is Japanese for 'training place', is the finest purpose-built Judo centre in the country, boasting two full-sized mats, space for up to 400 spectators, a fully furbished weight training room.. Away from the sport the centre also includes seminar and meeting space, catering facilities and a social area.
The inhabitant of the Dartford Dojo, Dartford Judo Club, is itself renowned amongst the international Judo elite for producing top class judo players, including double Olympic Medallist Kate Howey MBE.
Founded by Alan Roberts, himself a 7th Dan, in 1965 the Club has far outgrown its roots in a former drill hall in Dartford's Town Centre.
Nationally the Dojo will play a key role in the squad development for the country's elite players, currently under the stewardship of Kate Howey, and the centre is already being seen as a vehicle for national improvements in the sport.
ENDS
Notes for Editors
The awards ceremony took place on Monday 3 July at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London and were presented by Alistair McGowan.
