MORE people are heading to the gym in Glasgow than ever before as the city gears up to host the Commonwealth Games next year.
Attendance at the city's sports centres has hit record levels, while interest in sporting events is also on the rise.
Glasgow Life, which runs the city's leisure facilities, revealed 29,000 people are now members of the city's network of 30 fitness centres, an increase of 22% on the year before and the highest level ever recorded.
Attendances at sporting matches and events are also on the increase with 12% more recorded compared to last year.
The organisation's annual report says that it has been a "spectacular" year for organised leisure facilities in the city, which were visited 17.5 million times, an increase of 700,000 compared to the previous year.
Glasgow's libraries recorded 5.5 million visits, arts and music events drew in around a million people and Bounce 'n' Rhyme sessions for parents and young children had 55,000 attendees.
Councillor Archie Graham, Deputy Leader of Glasgow City Council and chairman of Glasgow Life, said: "These figures prove, once again, that sport and culture are of huge importance to the people of Glasgow - and in maintaining our position as a world-class city.
"We've enjoyed record-breaking attendance figures and despite the massive economic challenges, none of our facilities have been closed.
"Glasgow is delivering on not only big ticket items, such as the Emirates Arena and the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, but also on services which change lives, whether that be adult literacy or supporting those who face cancer or ill-health."
The Glasgow Club, Scotland's biggest health and fitness network, operates across almost 30 venues.
Glasgow Life also manages community facilities and services and the city's 33 public libraries, including the Mitchell. Glasgow Life will play a key role in the delivery of the games.
Dr Bridget McConnell, Chief Executive of Glasgow Life, said: "Our staff, volunteers and our board all have a shared vision - to ensure that visitors to, and citizens of, Glasgow get the very most out of life."
"We're achieving that, and while the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games are hugely significant, they are not an end point."
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