The John Pounds Centre was the culmination of 10 years of planning and community involvement, with Portsmouth City Council and the residents formed Portsea Action Group at the heart.

Through a continued programme of community consultations, workshops, and grant funding applications that included SRB5, Neighbourhood Renewal Fund, and Sport England, services and facilities were shaped, which included the adjoining Medical Centre on the basis that its rent would contribute to the sustainable future running of the community facilities of the Centre.

In 2003 the John Pounds Community Trust was set up to manage the community facilities once built, and continued to do so till 2025. Portsmouth City Council now manages the Centre and services.

The Centre officially opened its doors to local residents in Summer 2006, with a ceremony which included the great, great, great grand nephew of John Pounds himself.

If you visit the Centre, outside the Main Hall you can see a visual timeline outlining the development stages of the centre, and some of the people that helped to make it a reality.