BAD NEWS! It’s only going to be 12-metres long.
GOOD NEWS! Never mind, there are loads of people in Wanstead on a waiting list to learn to swim.
BAD NEWS! The pool is temporary – 12 weeks only.
GOOD NEWS! The council is hoping it can wangle it for longer.
BAD NEWS! It’s still going to cost council tax payers £30k, even though it’s being subsidised by the GLA.
This development does seem somewhat unusual, to say the least. In addition to the Wanstead Pool, there will be another pool – 25m-long plus library and gym – built in the south of the borough (Ilford?).
The leader of Redbridge Council, Keith Prince, said: ““This is fantastic news for the Borough… We have over 1000 people on our lists waiting to learn to swim and this pool in Wanstead is a facility that will help those residents learn an essential life skill. We are negotiating with the provider of the 12-metre pool to try and extend the time it will be in the Borough so that more people can benefit.”
@Wansteadium I cant believe we are paying £30k for just 12 weeks of a 12 metre pool!! WTF are @RedbridgeLive playing at?
— Anya Lipska (@AnyaLipska) November 21, 2013
@DaisyRussell2 @Wansteadium maybe it's a 12k rebranding exercise from eagle pong to snaresbrook lido
— Tom King (@zgap118) November 21, 2013
@Wansteadium Will we have to inflate it every time we fancy a swim?
— Daisy Russell (@DaisyRussell2) November 20, 2013
So, net of the Conservative propaganda, the news is that once again a significant leisure investment is being made outside of Wanstead, and just to compensate we are getting a paddling pool.
Where is it going to be?
Dunno yet.
How about improving existing leisure/ recreation facilities for children in Wantead? The current ones ones on Christchurch Green do not cater for the increased number of children in the local area nor so they make any provision for those over pre-school age. Come on Redbridge council….Countless other local parks have received funding (Valentines etc) and have great play facilities for local kids.
What on earth is the point in opening a pool for 12 weeks only? It’s a joke… There should be a permanent pool in Wanstead Leisure Centre.