Cross London Swim Press Release
"OLYMPIC FLAME" returned to Duncan Goodhew by cross-London swimmers
CRITICAL MASS for SWIMMERS – ending at Brockwell for exhibition launchwith Duncan Goodhew & Kate Hoey to highlight pool closures
How easy is it to get a swim in London? Increasingly difficult – each year 1 public pool in London closes. Swimmers are organising a cross-London swim - carrying a mock Olympic torch to give to Duncan Goodhew...... at an exhibition showing the sorry state of London's poolsJuly 7th – swim & exhibition
On 7th July to highlight pool closures, Duncan Goodhew, Kate Hoey and Ken Worpole will be opening London Pools Campaign’s exhibition at Brockwell Lido of photos of pools 'now and then' - derelict splendour, secret gardens and archive photos. During the day, we will be swimming across many of London’s Lidos, carrying the "Olympic Torch", and pausing for photo-shoots at pools which are closed along route. The swim will end at 4pm at Brockwell Lido where Duncan Goodhew will be presented with the "Olympic Torch"to open the exhibition. Cross London Swim Starting at Park Road Pool in Hornsey at 7:15am - and carrying on like a 'critical mass' for swimmers – it’s not quite Burt Lancaster, but it’ll be great fun. Here's the timetable:
Here's the revised timetable for The London Swim 2004 that will be held on 07 July 2004 ending at Brockwell Lido in time for the exhibition launch. Come and join us for the whole swim or just come along for a dip at the pools on our route where we will swim. We will be visiting some of the closed and endangered pools in London but there will be plenty of swimming on the day! It starts at 7am at Park Road Pool in Crouch End. We want swimmers to join us! Like a 'critical mass' for swimmers our idea is to swim across open water in London - ending at Brockwell for the photo exhibition launch.....
It's not quite Burt Lancaster but it'll be great fun. GET READY FOR the 07 JULY 'Cross London Swim'
- 7:15am - Park Road Pool Hornsey (leave at 8am)
- 8.30am - Parliament Hill Lido (leave at 9.30am)
- 10am - Clissold Pool photo shoot
- 10.30am - Haggerston pool photo shoot
- 11.30am - Hyde Park Lido (leave at 12.45 gives time for brunch in the cafe)
- 1.15pm - Marshall St photo call
- 2.00pm- Tooting Bec Lido (leave at 3.00pm)
- 4pm - Brockwell Park
We are organising transport for people who would like to do the whole swim - so if you'd like to book a space on the bus (numbers limited) please call Liz 020 7690 6662 - or for more info.
Exhibition Opened by Duncan Goodhew & Kate Hoey
Showing photos by Balthazar Serreau of the closed and threatened pools in London – from the marble splendour of Marshall Street to the graffiti-covered dereliction of Uxbridge Lido….dotted across the capital are more than 20 closed swimming pools and Lidos – most decaying and vandalised, some guarded by security. While London spends millions bidding for the Olympics we are losing our local swimming pools…
clockwise from top right:
Last year Clissold Leisure Centre closed.
- It cost £32 million (instead of the initially planned £7.5 million) – and had been open just 20 months. Court cases abound, but there is no sign of the pool re-opening – and there has been press speculation about it being knocked down.
- This year Northolt Swimarama, Ladywell Baths and Charlton Lido are seriously under threat.
- Ealing Council want to demolish Northolt Swimarama and sell the land to a developer for £3.5 million.Plans to build a replacement pool in a nearby school have fallen through.
- Charlton Lido has struggled on for years, but this year it seemed it was going to close –future is very uncertain.
- Ladywell is to be demolished to make way for a new school - though it has just had a £1.8 million revamp.
OBESITY
The Chief Medical Officer reported in April that lack of exercise is costing the country £10 billion each year and that these health problems are concentrated in the most deprived areas. These are the communities that most need local public affordable swimming pools - as people here are least likely to have cars, private gym membership, good facilities/opportunities for sport at work or school. The 2001 DCMS report Testing the water found that repairing every swimming pool in the country would cost £2 billion (1 off payment).
Couch potato culture costs £10 billion (from telegraph)
More information:
Liz Hughes, London Pools Campaign 020 7690 6662 or 0777 300 2646 - info@londonpoolscampaign.com
Greg McNeill 07789 005 652
http://www.londonpoolscampaign.com
Contact us for Hi Res pictures.
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Copyright 2008 London Pools Campaign