Go slow at ZoomAround

Members of the North East London Gymnastics Club outside the Zoom Around building

SQUATTERS who have taken over the ZoomAround building in Milton Grove, Stoke Newington have been preventing as many as 1,500 young people taking part in gymnastics.

The building had been earmarked for the North East London Gymnastics Club (NELGC) when it was squatted several months ago.

The club had been looking to move premises ever since they were made aware of the one year planned refurbishment of Stoke Newington School hall, their old home.

After having spent the past two years talking to the Council about securing new premises in the ZoomAround building on Milton Grove, things came to a standstill.

I met Lara Everall, the organiser of the gymnastics club, at her home on the day the council was due to give her a definite decision on the lease of the building. She was enthusiastic and engaging, but I sensed a certain tiredness.

She talked about the 50 letters written to the Mayor, Jules Pipe, which all received standard replies stating that he could not bypass the Council’s Property Services department on the matter – leaving 1,500 children without training.

“Losing out on training creates instability. Were the club not to open, these children would have to try and get places in Beckton or Camden, which would firstly involve a very long waiting list and secondly, longer journeys for the children”, says Lara.

Lara suggests that the borough owes a great deal to volunteers. People work for free to support organisations like the club. When their contribution to the borough is so substantial, how is it that the practical rewards are lost? Lara herself was awarded Coach of the Year 2008 for outstanding achievement in local sport.

As I met up with the young gymnasts and their parents outside the ZoomAround building some weeks later, the absurdity of the situation was even more apparent.

Inside the gym building there were still a dozen squatters, taking full advantage of the facilities. Outside, the frustration was high. The regional finals are coming up this month (September). The children have had nowhere to practice for the past two months.

Hackney Council has won the case against the squatters, who now face imminent eviction. However, the lease issue is yet to be resolved. In the run-up to the Olympics, one of the top priorities within the borough should be to encourage and push young athletes.

So I join the growing number of people asking the same question: why are things moving so slowly?