Frustration as new pool closes weeks after opening

A not-for-profit swimming club in south London says it is losing about £500 a month after a brand new council pool closed six weeks after opening.

Southwark Aquatics Swimming Club (SASC) said it had recorded the lowest turnout in more than a decade for some championship competitions.

Following months of delays, Canada Water Leisure Centre opened in September with an eight-lane, 25m (82ft) pool. It closed on 13 October due to a maintenance issue.

The council said during installation of replacement parts for the air handling unit in December, contractors identified an "additional, related issue" that had to be resolved before the pool could safely reopen.

The statement on the website added: "We are currently waiting confirmation from our engineers on when this additional work can be completed.

"As soon as we receive this from our contractors we will share an update."

Andy Moore, chairman of SASC, said the club had lost about 10% of its members and some were struggling to make it to alternative venues which were up to seven miles (4.3 km) away.

"The closure is a massive step down because the athletes that compete are being recognised as some of the fittest and healthiest in the country," he said.

The closure has meant the club has had the fewest number of entrants in the county championships that SASC has had for over a decade.

SASC is run by volunteers and parents who train swimmers of all abilities aged eight to 15. Their members have gone on to compete at county, regional and national levels.

Moore estimates the club's revenue to be down by £500 a month due to some members leaving and others only paying half the usual fees, as the club can only offer half a programme.

"In some ways we're actually having to pay more as we're expecting our coaches to travel further. To compensate we are paying them for two hours even if they are only working for one," he said.

Before moving into the new leisure centre, the club was based at Seven Islands Leisure Centre, which has now been closed to make way for Canada Water Leisure Centre.

Southwark Council has allowed SASC to be the principle pool users and the main competitive club to use the new facilities, the Local Democracy Reporting Service says.

"We were really pleased, the first six weeks went really well; it was attracting new swimmers to the club, but when the pool was closed it had the opposite effect," said Moore.

The new centre is part of the multi-billion pound Canada Water Masterplan from British Land and AustralianSuper which spans a 53-acre (21, 500 sq m) site in partnership with the council.

Despite the pool being closed the new centre is still open, with a four-court sports hall, gym, three exercise studios and a learner pool with a moveable floor.

The council's Richard Leeming, deputy cabinet member for leisure and sports, said the closure had been a "setback for our members and for us".

"The issue has arisen because when the contractor was carrying out the initial repair work they found a related fault that must be resolved before the pool can safely reopen," he said.

"We understand disappointment surrounding this however, the health and safety of our residents is our priority.

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"While we are working hard to get the pool open again for public use as soon as possible, we have offered members of the leisure centre the option to freeze their membership to ensure that they are not charged while the pool is under repair.

"We would like to thank members for their continued patience."

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