New Life and New Opportunities for Hardenhuish School Gym
Hardenhuish School had an ageing, traditional gym hall that was ideal for re-purposing as a modern, safe and effective strength and conditioning facility for students and the wider public to enjoy.
The project involved a complete renovation of the gym hall, including the installation of new flooring and equipment. The facility would be designed to meet the needs of students of all ages, with a focus on strength and conditioning training and deliver a modern S&C facility for Hardenhuish.
Wow Factor
The renovated gym hall now features a striking red turf sled track, which is the centrepiece of the facility. In addition, the facility includes three Werksan Power Rack weightlifting stations, Olympic standard bars, hex bars, and bumper plates, and a range of APEX dumbbells, kettlebells, jerk blocks and Powerbag sandbags. Cardio equipment has also been installed, including four SkiErg machines, rowers, and bikes. Storage solutions have been put in place to keep the equipment safe, stored, and off the floor. To finish things off, the facility has been kitted out with a range of premium accessories to enhance the workout experience.
Overcoming the challenges
The main challenge of the project was to convert an ageing gym hall into a modern strength and conditioning facility while maintaining the character of the original space. The huge space has been successfully segmented into logical areas to accommodate different types of exercise. Delivery to site required a considerable amount of manual handling due to the location of the gym hall within the school, but it was nothing the AP installation team weren’t used to.
The end result
The new strength and conditioning facility has exceeded the school’s expectations. What was once a neglected area has become a real focal point not only for the Physical Education Department but for the whole school. Luke Brailey, Curriculum Lead for PE at Hardenhuish commented:
The kids are absolutely blown away by the space. The wow factor on their faces when they walk through and see it, first of all, is amazing. This project is going to enable the department to teach amazing lessons.
When asked about the service and support he’s received from AP, Luke continued:
I would recommend AbsolutePerformance they’ve done exactly what they said they were going to do. They’ve delivered on everything they promised but not only that, they’ve done it in a friendly way, they’ve done it in a supportive way. Nothing was too much trouble.
The new gym space is so good the school are looking to maximise its commercial potential with help from the AP team. AP will be coming back to deliver a CPD to the PE department which will help them get the best use out of space.
From a whole school point of view, the commercialisation of this space is something which Absolute Performance, again, has expertise in and can work with us to maximise not only the use of this for students but also as a revenue stream.
If you are considering a similar project for your facility please get in touch with us.
