Campaigners’ hopes dashed as pool closure is confirmed

HOPES to keep Oasis Academy Bristol’s swimming pool open have been dashed after it was confirmed it had closed for good.

Although the pool was set to be demolished along with the former school building, in July, there was hope that it would remain open for members of the public to use.

Many campaigners had petitioned for it to remain open until the Olympic facility at Hengrove Park was completed. But Bristol City Council has now confirmed that the facility is closed.

Katharine De Lisle, spokeswoman for the council, said: “A joint decision has been made with the academy that it would not be viable to preserve the pool when the rest of the building is demolished.”

Jane Short, 44, from Downend, who has run First Stroke Swimming School for 14 years, has been spearheading the campaign to keep the pool open. She said: “I’m absolutely gutted.

“It had all looked quite encouraging and I spoke to the caretaker recently who said that an engineer’s report had been done and as far as he could see there was no reason the pool shouldn’t be kept open.

“It just needed a bit of money investing in it.

“I’m disappointed and sad. I find it hard to believe that we’re hosting the Olympic games and yet are closing all of our sports facilities.

“I’ve seen at least eight pools closed in the Bristol area over the last 10 years.

“There are lots of sports centres closing too.

“I’m very lucky that a school the other side of Bath has offered me the use of their pool for teaching.

“But that doesn’t help people in the Hengrove community, especially those perhaps without the money to go further afield.

“I know all of the children personally and they have been sending me letters and pictures saying they hoped the pool would open again soon.”

She added: “Instead of one 50-metre pool per area, it would be much better to have three smaller ones so that children could enjoy their local areas.

“There is one glimmer of hope in that there are plans to refurbish the Pavilions at Bedminster Down, mothballed a couple of years ago.

“I don’t know if a pool will be included in those yet, but it would be really great new if it was.

“Although this of course would take six months to a year to be ready.”