Community Event Marks Opening of Chellaram Sports Complex
This weekend, a community open event was held to celebrate the completion and official opening of the Chellaram Sports Complex at our Sports Ground.
On Saturday 14th September, the Lord-Lieutenant and the Lord Mayor of Bristol, along with representatives from the Chellaram Foundation and local community groups, gathered for the official opening. The event featured a ribbon cutting ceremony led by Mrs Peaches Golding OBE CStJ, the Lord-Lieutenant. Guests were also given an exclusive tour of the state of the art facilities.
Mr. Nick Tolchard, the Chair of Council said, “We are thrilled to be opening one of the largest indoor sports facility of any school in the South West, and excited that this will be available to generations of children and adults from across the community in Bristol and the wider area, as well as our own pupils. Thanks to the generous donation of one of our former pupils, as well as our own investment, we were able to replace an older temporary structure with an environmentally friendly facility that will enable the Clifton College Education Group to improve access to sport all year round.”
The new Chellaram Sports Complex features a multi-purpose floor that accommodates:
- 3 netball courts
- 3 tennis courts
- 12 badminton courts
- 3 basketball courts
- 10 cricket lanes
Additionally, the complex includes a bouldering wall, an indoor hockey pitch, space for touch rugby and several table tennis areas. Unlike its predecessor, the new development also includes bleacher seating for 208 spectators, along with associated facilities such as toilets, changing rooms, equipment storage, and a plant area.
Dr Tim Greene, Head of College said, “The Chellaram Sports Complex is a wonderful facility for the College and for the wider community. It provides multiple courts for sports including netball, tennis, basketball and badminton, and has an indoor bouldering wall along with changing room facilities and a reception space. The project was made possible by the hugely generous support of Mr Lal Chellaram, a former pupil of the College, and the Chellaram Foundation.
The sports hall has been designed to have a much-reduced energy consumption, meeting current energy efficiency and sustainability standards including BREEAM Excellent.
