Structural
problems were identified in 1999, and since then Brixham Swimming
Club volunteers have worked tirelessly to secure its future
as a popular community asset. It had to be closed for a while,
but following emergency repairs costing over £20,000 it
was able to re-open.
A local appeal launched
by the Swimming Club in 2002 demonstrated strong community support
by raising more than £120,000, and this was a vital tool
in attracting further funding including a £350,000 capital
grant from Torbay Council, £15,000 from the Torbay Care
Trust and the £550,000 from the Amateur Swimming Association.
The pool was built by
voluntary labour and opened in 1975 and has been almost entirely
run by volunteers. Over three decades of local children have
been taught to swim there, with thousands of people enjoying
its facilities. Hundreds of competitions have been won, and
several former members have excelled at national level in swimming
and other sports.
The pool will close its
doors on Thursday 20 March to enable work on the eight-month
scheme to get underway, but pool officials are appealing to
the community to continue their fundraising efforts.
John Pope, company secretary
of the recently set up charitable pool management company, explained:
"After nearly ten years of hard work, searching for funding
and overcoming many problems we are extremely relieved that
everything is in place to enable the major part of the redevelopment
to get underway. Unfortunately we still need to find about £85,000
to complete the job
"In the refurbishment
all the supplies and services to the changing rooms are being
upgraded and the lighting improved but the budget does not include
tiling and cosmetic work we would like to do to really make
the changing rooms pleasing and attractive. Also we want to
add and equip an office extension.
Mr. Pope went on, “We
are delighted that following a recent presentation by our Company
Chairman Dick Dyke, Brixham Town Council has given us a good
start with a grant of £25,000. Brixham Lions have also
promised us another £1,000 donation, so if we can continue
the wonderful local support for a little longer we will soon
be able to enjoy a facility to be proud of”.
Any donations to the
Pool Improvements Fund will be gladly received by the Treasurer,
Brixham Indoor Pool, Higher Ranscombe Road, Brixham TQ5 9HF
(Tel 01803 857151)
Cllr Jeanette Richards,
Torbay Council's Cabinet Member for Community Services, said:
"We are pleased to have been able to provide financial
support to this worthwhile project.
"The pool has been
a valuable facility for many years, and I am sure it will prove
to be even more popular when it re-opens towards the end of
the year."
The Government-funded
Community Club Development Programme aims to improve facilities,
raise educational standards, help link sports clubs, schools
and communities, and encourage social inclusion in areas of
multiple deprivation. |
Sport
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