Eighth sports and health center built in Leningrad Region under Gazprom for Children program opens its doors

Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee, and Alexander Drozdenko, Governor of the Leningrad Region, today took part in the opening ceremony for a sports and health center with a skating rink in Svetogorsk, Leningrad Region. The ceremony was held via a video link.

The sports center in Svetogorsk was built under the Gazprom for Children program. The complex, which spans some 3,500 square meters, includes an artificial ice rink measuring 60 by 30 meters, changing rooms, trainers’ rooms, and other technical and utility areas. The center is intended for training in ice hockey and figure skating, as well as for public ice skating. It is accessible to people with disabilities.

Bogdan Yakimov, forward of St. Petersburg’s SKA Ice Hockey Club, was a guest of honor at the event. He conducted a training session for young athletes.

“As a reliable partner of the Leningrad Region, Gazprom is implementing social projects here. Our top priority is the Gazprom for Children program. We have built 86 sports fields and stadiums, as well as seven sports and health centers in the region.

Today, we are celebrating a joyful occasion. As part of the Gazprom for Children program, we are opening a sports and health center with a skating rink in Svetogorsk. Now, children and teens will be able to engage in wonderful sports, namely hockey and figure skating, with the help of professional trainers. For some, this might pave the way to big-time sports and to Olympic heights.

I would like to express my gratitude to the region’s Administration for their active contribution to the project, and also to the engineers and workers. The sports complex was built in less than a year. The results are excellent and measure up to the highest standards,” said Alexey Miller.

The virtual meeting participants were also informed about the progress of the construction project for a sports and health center with a swimming pool and a universal gym in the town of Tikhvin. The center is 95 per cent complete and will be inaugurated in the near future.