A Coventry sports centre is now home to a stunning new display which tells the industrial history of the area it is located in.
CV Life’s Centre AT7 has been serving the local community since 1987 – but while visitors and members are familiar with swimming, badminton and other sporting activities, a corridor-long wall display will serve as an educational reminder of the area’s industrial past.
The piece has been developed by the Collections team from the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry Archives and Coventry Transport Museum, all also part of the CV Life organisation, with the photographs and objects shown coming from their collections
The design fills the entire wall of the corridor leading from the reception area to the pool changing rooms. There will also be a case of objects from the collections relating to companies the area was once home to, such as Morris Engines, Courtaulds, and Alfred Herbert Ltd.
Martin Roberts, Curatorial Manager at the Herbert, said: “Courthouse Green and the wider Foleshill area has such a rich history so it’s fantastic to be able to install a display which we hope educates and entertains members at AT7.
“Historical artefacts have a wonderful ability to engage and inform, but they don’t only have to do so in museums and galleries – and while we strongly believe everyone should have access to cultural venues, this is a real opportunity for the Herbert to reach new audiences we might not otherwise have been able to.”
Jordan Morbey, venue manager at AT7, said: “The new display is brilliant and really catches the eye – I’ve seen so many people on their way to the gym or the swimming pool stopping to take it in which is fantastic.
“Displays like this are certainly not something you would usually associate with a sports centre and I think it’s a really good way to help people understand the heritage of their area.”