basement, first and third floors. The levels are offset so that the floors in the front and rear of the building appear like mezzanine levels to each other. Sports and leisure Leisure Centre South Norwood contains a leisure centre which is owned and maintained by Better on behalf of Sport Croydon. South Norwood Leisure Centre is situated on Portland Road and reopened in late 2007 after refurbishment. It had been closed in early 2006 and was due for demolition, so that it could be redesigned from scratch like the leisure centre in Thornton Heath, at a cost of around £10 million. In May 2006 the Conservatives gained control of Croydon and decided that doing this would cost too much money, so they decided to refurbish the centre instead, although this decision came with controversy. It now includes a 25m swimming pool and a gym. South Norwood Country Park South Norwood is also home to South Norwood Country Park, 116 acres of nature reserve. After previously being home to a sewage works (closed in 1966) and fireworks factory; the habitat has been cultivated over time to nurture an abundance of species and wildlife. Other parks in the local area are South Norwood Recreation Ground, Heavers Meadow, Brickfields Meadow, Beaulieu Heights, South Norwood Lake and Grounds, Woodside Green and Ashburton Park. South Norwood Community Festival The South Norwood Community Festival is an annual event at South Norwood Recreational Ground which first began in 2011 as an inclusive event which would benefit the local community. In 2022 over 8,000 people gathered to enjoy live bands, refreshments, arts and crafts and children's entertainment. The event is run entirely by volunteers and profits are donated to local charities and invested back into the future festival plans. The next event will take place on Sunday, 2nd July 2023. Croydon Sports Arena Croydon Sports Arena was first opened in 1953 and is a multiple-use sports arena in South Norwood. The arena is located on the edge of South Norwood Country Park. Facilities include an eight-lane 400m running track, with a centre field and training area for throwing events. The stadium is floodlit. During the winter the inner field becomes a football pitch, home to Croydon F.C. In the summer the stadium is mostly used for athletic events. It is used by athletics clubs Striders of Croydon and Croydon Harriers. The stands in the sports arena can hold