Protesters angry over closure of pools (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Protesters angry over closure of pools

8:24pm Sunday 6th July 2008 in News By Ben Barnett

Protesters have staged a last stand calling for a school swimming pool to be spared the chop, a week before it looks certain to close.

About 200 youngsters and parents, some in swimwear, stood at Buttershaw Business & Enterprise College in an attempt to earn the pool a reprieve.

The school buildings close for good at the end of this term as pupils move to adjoining newly-built premises in September.

Despite protests and a petition signed by 3,000 people, organised by a swimming academy that uses the pool, it is likely to be shut at the same time. School chiefs maintain it needs expensive repairs which are beyond their finances.

Protesters have voiced anger at being kept in the dark about negotiations with third parties to explore the possibility of securing its short-term future. But with time running out, campaigners fear its closure is inevitable.

Kevin Firth, who runs the academy at the pool, is backing the Telegraph & Argus Save Our Swimming Campaign, which calls on the Council to save community pools as well as providing a showpiece pool in the city centre.

He said: “We have 300 children and if they close it, as well as four other community pools, they will have nowhere else to go. Let’s see them build this super pool in the city centre first.

“The pool closes on July 12. These children have got one more lesson left. We haven’t been told anything so we assume it’s closing.”

Former Buttershaw pupil Nigel Asquith, whose two sons are learning to swim at the pool, said: “No one at the Council seems that bothered. I don’t know what we’ll do if it closes. We live in Halifax but we still come here because we know Kevin is good.”

Richard Bowkett, whose four-year-old daughter Mia takes lessons, said: “It’s an important local amenity. The Council’s always going on about promoting exercise yet they are thinking about closing pools. If Buttershaw closes she won’t be able to go to lessons anymore, I’m not travelling to the other side of Bradford.”

Parent, the Reverend David Griffiths, of St Paul’s Church in Buttershaw, said: “It’s a good facility and I want to see it stay for use by the community.”

A consultant’s report recommending that pools at Bingley, Manningham, Queensbury and Richard Dunn Sports Centre should close has been rejected by the Council’s decision-making executive which has asked senior officers to examine how to finance the building of three new swimming pools in the district and report back.