The Life Centre is already recognized as the home of one of the best longcourse pools in the country, having held numerous prestigious competitions. Why not athletics too? The South West needs a new premier athletics track to live up to the standards of Gateshead or Birmingham and where better than the iconic city of Plymouth? Plymouth's current athletics track has been in place for decades and desperately needs upgrading or replacing. Outside the Life Centre is also a perfect situation for an athletics stadium, with Central Park right on it's doorstep and onlooking the Hoe, a distinctive and historical feature of Plymouth. If Plymouth was to own a state of the art athletics facility, it could increase the city's tourism through national and international events and have a positive effect on the economy. It would also serve the city's population of over 258,000 for years to come and provide young and upcoming athletes with a facility to train on.