Culture, Leisure and the Arts

Developing our Community Culture

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'Culture' has a wide scope and includes sport, arts, heritage, tourism, countryside, media, parks, play and libraries.

Bexley has a rich culture that includes the 500-year old Hall Place and Gardens, Danson Mansion, the Red House and Crossness Engines Trust. There are over 100 high quality parks and open spaces, including 134 acres of ancient woodland. The borough's sports centres are currently being redeveloped into state-of-the-art new leisure centres, so that the North, Centre and South of the borough will all have new integrated buildings, comprising swimming pools, sports halls, health and fitness suites and other ancillary facilities. Two of the three new centres will open in the summer of 2005. Bexley has an impressive number of voluntary sports organisations, delivering a wide range of competitive and non-competitive sports programmes that cater for all abilities. The 12 libraries across the borough provide direct access to literature, books, information, local community events and workshops. An exciting project is currently underway to improve the borough's libraries. There are an estimated 5,000 people involved with voluntary arts organisations.

This means that culture affects the lives of everyone in the community. More than 72,000 people are members of the library service, over 1.3 million visits are made to swimming pools and sports centres each year and there are 1,000 allotment-holders in the borough.

The London 2012 Olympic Bid & Bexley

The Olympic Games and Paralympic Games would enhance sport in London and the UK forever, with improved facilities, greater participation and healthier, more active communities. If the bid is successful, a four-year cultural festival will begin summer 2008 and continue over the period of the London Games in summer 2012.

Find out how it could benefit Bexley...