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The sun shone for The Princess
Monday 29th September 2008
The sun shone and the people of Durham turned out to cheer as Her Royal Highness, the Princess Royal officially opened Freeman’s Quay Leisure Centre on Friday 26 September.
Preparation
for the visit has been going on for months but the one
thing no-one could plan for was the weather - and it was
just wonderful. Leader of the Council, Councillor Fraser
Reynolds said,"Its many years since we have had the
honour of hosting a member of the Royal family and I am
delighted that the Princess Royal opened our fabulous
facilities at Freeman's Quay. It was a memorable day."
After unveiling that commemorative plaque the Princess Royal said,"Freeman's Quay is a tremendous achievement as it is often difficult to find a site that can accommodate everybody's needs.
"It also has the potential to help create future athletes ahead of the 2012 Olympics."
Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson was similarly impressed and the Year 4 class from Belmont CE Junior School who enjoyed their usual school swimming lesson in the learner pool despite the day's unusual visitors enjoyed a long time chatting with Dame Tanni when she shared her recent experiences in Beijing.