Lottery cash could help fund 25m Burslem swimming pool
COUNCILLORS plan to bid for £1 million of lottery funding to build a new swimming pool.
Last year, Stoke-on-Trent City Council pledged £500,000 towards the £4 million development of a new 25-metre pool at Dimensions Leisure Centre in Scotia Road, Burslem.
Currently, Dimensions contains a splash pool and spa, but residents in the north of the city have campaigned for the creation of a full-sized pool.
And Councillor Mark Meredith, below, cabinet member for sport and leisure, says an opportunity could arise in the next 12 months to secure up to £1 million from the Sport England Lottery Iconic Fund.
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The council is in discussions with the Amateur Swimming Association to establish the level of support for the idea.
However, Councillor Meredith said there is still a large funding gap and a contingency plan has been created which includes the creation of other facilities at Dimensions.
He added: "This would greatly improve the long-term sustainability of the facilities."
Figure show Dimensions is one of the city council's most successful leisure facilities, attracting more than 304,000 visits per year and generating £834,000 in income. But it still depends on a net subsidy of £782,000-per-year to stay afloat. Councillor Meredith says the council's contingency plan is more 'deliverable' as it would require less investment compared with the cost of installing and running a new pool.
Meanwhile, work is underway to enhance the use of the New Horizons Sport and Leisure Centre in Chell, Stoke, which has a 25-metre pool.
Councillor Meredith said the site, which the authority took over in September 2011, can also provide swimming facilities for the north of the city.
He said: "Whilst in the long-term a new 25-metre pool at Dimensions remains a desirable development, this strategy will help to ensure that residents and visitors are able to access a traditional swimming pool along with a full range of services and activities."
Councillor Dave Conway, who represents the Little Chell and Stanfield ward, fought against the proposed closure of the splash pool at Dimensions in 2008.
He said: "I would welcome a 25-metre pool at Dimensions, and I'm sure the residents in the area would too, but I don't know how the council will find the rest of the money.
"Even if they secure the £1million from lottery funding, I doubt they will be able to get the rest before 2015."
The proposed investment at Dimensions follows the closure of swimming pools in Tunstall and Shelton as part of £35.6 million cuts in 2011/12.
A host of cuts to services are also planned for 2012/13, including forcing schools to pay extra for swimming lessons and ending the subsidy paid to the City of Stoke-on-Trent Swimming Club. The matter will be discussed at Thursday's full council meeting.
Comments
by mole10
Tuesday, October 16 2012, 5:24PM
“He's here again. Labour's 'good news' propaganda chief extraordinaire.
Whenever he speaks of great and good things coming our way, you can almost rest assured that it just aint going to happen.
He knows it you know.
He just can't help it, that's all.”
by camband
Tuesday, October 16 2012, 4:32PM
“"..an opportunity could arise in the next 12 months to secure up to £1 million from the Sport England Lottery Ironic Fund. -Mark Meredith.”
by BucknallMel
Tuesday, October 16 2012, 1:37PM
“Why does the Sentinel even bother publishing this as news? Why don't they set up a new section headed 'Council Fairytales'? Then anyone who wanted to could go there to look at the artists' impressions and hear all about the wonderful things they're going to do, if only they get some money from somebody: leaving this space to tell people about the appalling things they actually ARE doing, right now, with the money they already have.”
by bikeandy61
Tuesday, October 16 2012, 1:22PM
“Or you could admit that Dimensions is in Burslem and re-open Tunstall/Shelton any others athat were shut to save running costs.
I suspect though that the Lottery cash will only be for new developments not running.
But then if we can't afford to run Tunstall/Shelton how can we afford to run a new pool? No doubt it will be more efficient but even so do we want a new pool that is shut down within years of opening. especially if a festival park leisure entrepreneur has his way?”
by fegghayesman
Tuesday, October 16 2012, 12:12PM
“How can a swimming pool cost £25 million??
It's just a hole in the ground filled with water!
And before you get building new ones, you should replace the ones closed in Tunstall and Shelton!”