Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace is home to the National Sports Centre which houses a large athletics track and sport centre and well as a swimming pool. It opened its doors in 1964 in Crystal Palace Park which is near to the site of the original Crystal Palace and also part of the old grand prix circuit. This centre was run on behalf of Sport England but has been transferred over the London Development Agency which is managed by Greenwich Leisure Limited.

In the athletics stadium there is capacity for 15,500 which with temporary seating can be increased to 24,000. The stadium is home to one of the major international athletics meeting annually on the Grand Prix circuit. The swimming pool is the only pool in London which has a 50m length. However, Crystal Palace Sport and Aquatics centre will be superseded as London’s main centre due to the new Olympic Stadium and Aquatics Centre scheduled to be built by 2012 in Stratford, East London.

Many other activities have taken place at Crystal Palace over the years including Football, Rugby, Cricket, Basketball where the Harlem Globetrotters played many times, Motor Racing as well as obviously swimming activities and athletics