As Active prepares to say goodbye to Fort Regent this September, it's impossible not to reflect on the decades of memories made within its historic walls. Built into a Napoleonic fortress overlooking St Helier, Fort Regent has been more than just a sports facility, it’s been a cornerstone of Jersey’s active lifestyle and community spirit since it was reimagined and converted into a leisure facility in the 1980’s.
From badminton and basketball to netball and five-a-side football, the multi-purpose sports hall echoed with the energy of countless games, training sessions, and tournaments. The Active gym, once bustling with members striving for fitness and wellbeing, stood as a beacon of health in the heart of the island and the Fort Adventures Playzone brought joy to generations of children, making Fort Regent a place for all ages.
But time has taken its toll. Ageing infrastructure, safety concerns, and accessibility challenges made continued use untenable. The decision to move Active and sport away from Fort Regent was not made lightly, but it was made with a vision for a safer, more inclusive future for sport in Jersey. The legacy of Fort Regent will live on through new facilities like Oakfield Community Sports Centre, which opens this October, and the Active facilities, new and old, across the island.
Active programs, along with most tenant activity, will close at Fort Regent on the 30th September and will relocate to alternative facilities.
As we turn the page, we honour the past. Fort Regent was more than bricks and mortar, it was a place where friendships were forged, goals were achieved, and community thrived. It will be missed, but its spirit will carry on in every new sports hall, every match played, and every child who discovers the joy of movement.
We are excited to see where the plans for future investment take Fort Regent, and are hopeful its walls will host activities that bring joy to future generations of islanders in the years to come!
Thank you, Fort Regent.
