Pool revealed
Jennifer Foulds • Published 9 Jul 2010 09:30
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THE £950,000 re-vamp of Helensburgh swimming pool is nearly complete and has "exceeded expectations".
The Advertiser was invited along for an exclusive preview of the facility - which is set to re-open its doors on August 16 following a 10-month closure.
Internally, the building is a far cry from the old-fashioned and claustrophobic surroundings which previously greeted users.
We were given a tour of the impressive new facilities by Jim Anderson, performance manager for Argyll and Bute Council's Leisure department.
Among refurbishments are brand new lockers and cubicles, the gym area is now more than three times bigger and new showers and a reception area have been developed.
Even a lick of paint has done wonders for the building and it is now welcoming and bright all the way through.
Councillor George Freeman, chairman of the Helensburgh and Lomond Area Committee, said: "It is a very imaginative redevelopment, particularly in the changing areas and the gym area. It's also been beautifully tiled and has exceeded expectations."
And residents will be invited along to see it for themselves soon.
The 10-month refurbishment has ensured that Helensburgh and Lomond swimmers will be catered for until the planned new leisure facility is built.
Residents will be able to have a look around the pool from Monday July 19 when membership options will be available.
Councillor George Freeman said that without the investment the current pool would have been forced to close because it desperately needed maintenance work.
But he is adamant that a new "and even better" pool is still needed to serve Helensburgh as the largest town in Argyll and Bute.
He said: "When you look at pools in the rest of Argyll and Bute and compare them to what we have you can see that we still need a new pool.
"The [current] pool could not have stayed open as it was and this has secured Helensburgh with a pool for the next five years, which [the town] would not have had otherwise.
"We are looking at an increased population in Helensburgh and Lomond over the next 10 years and we need to facilitate that.
"These enhancements are an added bonus and this has been done with a view that in four or five years we will have a brand new facility.
"This is money well spent - there was some negativity when it was first announced over cost-effectiveness, but I invite those people to look at this now, I bet they will agree with me."
Jim Anderson, performance manager for Argyll and Bute Council's Leisure department, proudly presented the refurbished building to the Advertiser - and the changes are remarkable.
The reception is spacious, airy and not cramped like the old layout.
The unisex changing rooms - which also have a couple of private shower and cubicle areas - are colourful and spacious.
The lockers are multi-coloured and the locker numbers are large - a design feature that was taken on board following consultations with the public.
A new welcoming sauna and steam room have been installed and loungers will be placed outside the rooms for people to relax on.
The old male changing rooms have been transformed and now house the new gym, which is bright and more than three times the size of the previous gym which was cramped and dingy.
It is being fitted with state-of-the-art fitness machines, including Power Plates - innovative machines using vibrations to accelerate training results - while new cardiovascular machines let people use and charge their iPods on it.
The spectator area, which was behind glass, is now open so that spectators and parents can talk to their children instead of shouting through the windows.
The building has been freshly tiled and windows have been installed in the gym and spectator areas so it is brighter.
Attractive mosaic-tiled showers have been fitted in the pool area. The main pool and children's pool have been freshly grouted.
Mr Anderson said: "We are very pleased with the swimming pool and the contractors Clark Contracts have worked very hard.
"We had to make it safer to comply with health and safety and we had to sort out the mechanical side of it.
"We have tried to make it bright and welcoming all the way through.
"We will also be opening from 7am in the mornings now which will be great for people wanting to go for a swim or do a gym session before work.
"When you go to many leisure centres the lockers are all blue, so we thought the kids would love these colourful ones.
"I think it is great, and it is amazing what a difference even a coat of paint can make."
This article appeared in Helensburgh Advertiser 09 Jul 10
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