London Pools Campaign: London Borough of Lewisham

Protest over Victorian pool - ooh it is sooo complex

webteam — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 08:13:49 GMT

"A protest is being held over plans to demolish a 124-year-old swimming pool in south-east London."

(Via BBC NEWS | England | Protest over Victorian pool: .)

Saxon Crown Swimming Club writes (politely, Ed)

webteam — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 06:45:54 GMT

"Saxon Crown would really benefit if there were a minimum of a training pool and a main 25-metre pool. The main pool should be at least 6 lanes wide and at least 1.2m deep in the shallow end for safe turns and dives. Our swimmers will need good quality anti-wave lane ropes, starting blocks and backstroke flags. Our priorities will also be for wide poolside walkways for both main pool and training pool as well as storage. The swimmers need ample changing facilities and their parents/supporters need somewhere to sit and watch and maybe gym or other facilities for them to use while waiting for their children to swim.

We would really appreciate special facilities for disabled swimmers, including hoists and wheelchair-friendly changing facilities. A viewing gallery with seating for over 100 people would be useful if we were to host a swimming gala."

(Via Forest Hill Society: Saxon Crown Swimming Club writes: .)

Council knew for weeks and didn't tell anyone

webteam — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 22:10:55 GMT

The comments expressed here are those of Lewisham residents reprinted here to show the strength of feeling there.

"Today Lewisham Council told the local press that it knew of the presence of Legionella Bacteria since analysis' results received on 16th May.
The Council also say that at receiving the news they immediately instructed the contractors to close the showers.
As far as we know the showers closed on the following day May 17th.
What is really incredible is that for two weeks following the discovery of the bacteria the Council decided not to inform the public that the showers were contaminated.
Ladywell Leisure Centre sees hundreds of users each day and all of them have been at risk of contracting a fatal disease, a disease that takes a few days to incubate and explode, the decision of the Council to keep the matter under lead during those critical days is, in our views, a criminal one."

(Via save Ladywell Pool Council knew for weeks and didn't tell anyone: .)

A COUNCIL STATEMENT (undated)

Legionnaires Bacteria Closes Swimming Pool (from News Shopper)

webteam — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 05:07:38 GMT

"A SWIMMING pool was closed yesterday (May 29) after bacteria which can cause Legionnaires disease was found in the showers.

Ladywell pool in Lewisham High Street has been shut until further notice because of the Legionella bacteria.

A spokesman for Lewisham Council said: 'We have acted quickly as a precaution to ensure the safety of Ladywell pool users and staff.

'We do not believe there is any immediate danger. There have been no instances of illness reported to us.

'The health and safety of our service users is paramount and the council is working with Parkwood, the borough's leisure centre contractors, to ensure a safe environment"

(Via Legionnaires Bacteria Closes Swimming Pool (from News Shopper): .)

Forest Hill Pools makes 6 o'clock news

webteam — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 20:30:07 GMT

More Councillors finding it impossible to disguise glee while quoting their consultant's findings. Local campaigners were quick to point out that scary things do appear in public buildings if they have consistently failed to receive adequate funding and regular planned-maintenance.

Goodbye, London's Oldest Pool

webteam — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 22:21:02 GMT

"Lewisham is a bit harsh, innit? Wot wiv all the crime an’ all.
Well.
That's true.

But there is also another side to Lewisham; one in which Victorian buildings co-exist with shiny regenerated areas, and where farmers’ markets and leisure centres are available for all to use.

Now Lewisham Council has decided to refurbish the oldest pool in London, Forest Hill Pools, which were built in the 1880s. The Pools were suddenly closed in 2006 due to safety fears. Regrettably, however, the regeneration involves demolishing the old Victorian building completely, and rebuilding new pools. While it is understandable that safety is of the utmost importance, it seems such a shame to tear down the existing building. It would be lovely if at least the façade could be kept, as has been and is being done with several other buildings Unfortunately it has been decided that retaining the front of the building is too expensive and, most importantly, would take much longer than tearing the building down and starting anew. All in all, however, it seems that both users and Council are in agreement that a brand spanking new pool complex is an exciting prospect for Lewisham Council and Forest Hill in particular.

London Pools Campaign which, well, campaigns for London pools, has a documentary about Forest Hill Pools up on their website, which you can access here.

And do try to come down to Lewisham once in a while. It’s really not that bad.

Image courtesy of Laura S Goodman

(Via Londonist Goodbye, London's Oldest Pool: .)

Forest Hill Swimming Pools - a short documentary

webteam — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 07:51:07 GMT

"

Two years ago, as Forest Hill Pools was struggling for survival, the Friends of Forest Hill Pools produced this short documentary, a well crafted and very interesting document on local history as well as history of swimming pools in London.

Directed by James E. Melloy and presented by Steve Grindlay it documents the oldest working swimming pool in London.

The pools closed shortly after this documentary was made and as we upload it on the net we are at the eve of the Mayor of Lewiswham approving of its demolition and replacement with a modern one on the same site.
"

(Via save Ladywell Pool Forest Hill Swimming Pools - a short documentary: .)

Forest Hill Pool - an SE23 discussion thread

webteam — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 01:39:40 GMT

Pool & puddle solution again

"Many of you will be aware of the Mayors decision in February 2007 to refurbish Forest Hill Pools subject to further feasibility work. This work has now been undertaken and a report on the outcomes will be discussed at the Mayor and Cabinet meeting next Wednesday 13 February at 6pm at the Town Hall. For the details of the report see: Here

The pools are badly cracked and leaking so that there are inherent risks and difficulties with the refurbishment. The officers are recommending demolition and clearance of the site including Louise House and engaging with representatives of the local community as well as users of the pool to develop the design and feasibility work.

We have funding for a new 25m pool, a learner pool, fitness suite and community facilities. We plan to cross subsidise the cost with new housing on the pocket park next to the pool and replacing the park with extensive landscaping from the library across the new frontage. This new building will be complementary in architectural style to the library.

As well as being a Sydenham Councillor I am the Cabinet Member for Community Services that includes leisure facilities and I would be pleased to hear your views on a new leisure facility." Cllr Chris Best

(Via Forest Hill Pool: .)

Mayor makes a U-turn on Forest Hill Pool

webteam — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 00:58:49 GMT

"When two years, following a lengthy and extensive consultation, Mayor Bullock had said that Forest Hill Pools would have been refurbished, many in Lewisham celebrated, some cynics thought 'I believe it when I see it'.
Fast forward two years and the Mayor decides that the Victorian complex of Forest Hill Pools will be demolished to make way for a new pool. Further analysis done by the consultants for Lewisham Council show that the refurbishment would be too risky. Two years ago this was not clear to them.
Together with the pools the adjacent Louise House will also be redeveloped. Receipts from the sale of the land for housing will offset the cost of the new pool.These are two historical buildings standing next to the listed library and many in Forest Hill will surely oppose this decision. The fact that the proposed replacement is a more limited provision than the current Victorian Pool is another reason for discontent."

(Via save Ladywell Pool Mayor makes a U-turn on Forest Hill Pool: .)

Revitalising Loampit Vale FAQs - (are we in safe hands? Ed)

webteam — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 08:59:54 GMT

Another spine-cracker for flip 'n' fun, where's the joined-up thinking? - there ain't any!

Will the pool be usable for diving?

"The pool will be built fully in accordance with the Amateur Swimming Association’s requirements and those of Sport England. Neither recommend diving. The main pool will be 2 metres at its deep end.

... and someone said

Neither recommend diving!!!!"

(Via Lewisham Council - Revitalising Loampit Vale FAQs: .)

Downham Pool reviewed

webteam — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 16:22:08 GMT

Downham Pool in Lewisham is a PFI initiative between London Borough of Lewisham and Leisure Connection. Campaign for Independent Living in Lewisham (CILL), 'an organisation of disabled people that supports and promotes independent living for all disabled people whatever their impairment', has visited the centre and reviewed its acessibility. You can read their review here.

Wheelchair users cannot get into the leisure centre through the turnstiles but have to wait to be let in through a gate the problem is that to get out again they cannot be seen by staff at the front desk so cannot get the gate opened. This will be rectified by putting in a buzzer but we have asked if something like a ‘swipe’ card system could be installed to give entry/exit to the Centre and disabled changing rooms. This would give security to expensive facilities and provide not just access but equality of access to disabled people.

Diving pool specs

webteam — Wed, 23 May 2007 17:58:16 GMT

The Save Ladywell Pool Campaign people have taken yesterday's posting on a diving board survey and looked at how diving has been affected by the policies toward this aquatic sport within the London Borough of Lewisham.

...public access to diving facilities in the London area has declined by approximately 90%. The stock of diving facilities has declined from over 45 pools with diving facilities to under 10, and many of the pools that have retained the diving facilities now have much more limited public access...
..In pools where diving boards are retained, and are available to the public for reasonable use, there is a greater number of children using the pool. While no research has been carried out to prove this, some individual cases will indicate the truth of this statement.

In Wales, the closure of the diving facilities at the Aberdare Pool has led to a 60% fall in revenue, and a change in the user profile. The people who have stopped going to the pool are the younger users, the children and youths, the very people that everyone is trying to get into pools. Its not that the pool is closed, the swimming area remains, it is the diving area and the water flumes that are not available. In Deptford, a disability swimming group is finding that teenagers are dropping out as the leisure pool that they use is ‘boring’, there is nothing interesting to do. Some of the children that have dropped out are interested in diving, but there are no public facilities now available locally. If there were they would use them. At present however they don’t do anything...

The above paragraph comes for the web-page of the Great Britain Diving Federation.
We all know that in London diving has become a sport on risk of extinction and whilst for some unexplicable reason Ladywell doesn't have its diving boards anymore one would have reasonably hoped that Lewisham Council would have taken the opportunity to re-introduce diving in the Borough with the new pool planned at Loampit Vale.
It was Mayor Bullock that 3 years ago, announcing the project for a new pool to replace Ladywell had written to all of us:

'we will look at incorporating a competition diving feature alongside the pools'
Instead look they did not. As the shameful Leisure Needs Analysis of Lewisham Council advised them:
'Provision of specialist deep water for diving is not considered to be a need'
It was a professional consultant to say that. You cannot possibly know better than them!
"

(Via save Ladywell Pool Diving pool specs: .)

Mayor shows off at Downham, (from Save Ladywell Pool)

webteam — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 17:33:46 GMT

A newspaper clipping from Lewisham shown on the Save Ladywell Pool website is, claim campaigners, shocking in more than one respect. Mayor Steve Bullock is seen here during his own Eureka moment displacing a lot more than bad news from the pages of the local newspaper.
Visually depicting the importance of swimming to the health and fitness of all members of society it demonstrates the methods that politicians are now forced to employ to publicise any good news about swimming pools in the capital. It is astonishing the depths to which their PR teams will make mayors go to make a splash.
Still good news is good news and Mayor Bullock has certainly proved he doesn't take himself too seriously. Well done Steve, now let's open some more pools in Lewisham, keep existing ones open and upgrade the rest.

(Via save Ladywell Pool Mayor shows off at Downham: .)

Lewisham Pools in the Private Eye: from Save Ladywell Pool Campaign

webteam — Wed, 19 Apr 2006 17:29:05 GMT

"The current issue of Private Eye, available since yesterday at every respectable newsagent, has a splendid feature on the swimming pools crisis and speaks quite a lot of Lewisham.
The 'Nooks and Corners' column examines in detail the events surrounding Forest Hill Pools and the unacceptable neglect that forced its recent closure after an Health and Safety inspector found decayed wood in the truss holding the glass roof above the pool in spite of works done to it in 1999.
After Forest Hill the Eye goes on to give an overview of the trouble with swimming in England touching on some of the biggest disasters, like the Clissold Leisure Centre in Hackney before returning to Lewisham and mentioning Ladywell Pool to explain why pools are 'not safe in the borough council's hands'.
If you want to read the full article you will have to buy the Private Eye (£1.40). OR CLICK HERE."

(Via save Ladywell Pool Lewisham Pools in the Private Eye: .)

Lewisham Council - Mayor opts to refurbish Forest Hill Pools

webteam — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 03:44:00 GMT

"Steve Bullock, Mayor of Lewisham, after consulting with the people of the borough, has decided to refurbish Forest Hill Pools.

Steve said: 'I know that the consultation's results didn't show an overwhelming consensus for either the refurbishment or the rebuilding option.

'However, after what was an impressively inclusive and thorough consultation process, I believe that we should refurbish Forest Hill Pools.

'I would like to thank the people of the borough and, in particular, residents of Forest Hill for their help throughout the consultation.'"

(Via Lewisham Council - Mayor opts to refurbish Forest Hill Pools: .)

Find out about Downham's new lifestyle centre

webteam — Thu, 10 Nov 2005 02:32:32 GMT

"Lewisham Council is inviting everyone to find out more about the new state-of-the-art lifestyle centre that is set to transform lives in Downham.
An information event will be held on Tuesday 15 November at Goldsmiths Community Centre, Castillon Road, SE6 1QD, from 4 - 9pm.
The event, as well as giving everyone the chance to find out what the new centre will bring to Downham, will give people the opportunity to meet the leisure management company, builders, architects and council officers involved in the project.
The New Downham Lifestyles Building will include a 25m swimming pool and a learner pool, fitness studio and activity room, library and GP surgeries. "

(Via Lewisham Council - Find out about Downham's new lifestyle centre: .)

Improving Forest Hill Pool - tell Lewisham's mayor Bullock your views

webteam — Tue, 27 Sep 2005 17:48:00 GMT

Lewisham Council is consulting local people and users of Forest Hill Pool on developing the facilities. The two options include refurbishing the existing pool or building a brand new pool on the site.

Come and tell us your views at a public meeting chaired by Steve Bullock, the Mayor of Lewisham, on Wednesday 5 October at 7.30pm. The venue is Sydenham Girls' School, Dartmouth Road, Forest Hill, SE26 4RD.
The consultation is taking place until November 2005. For more information visit the Consultation finder.

Lewisham Mayor demands answers after pool contract delay (from News Shopper)

webteam — Tue, 20 Sep 2005 21:04:32 GMT

"LEWISHAM Mayor Steve Bullock has asked officers to review the contractual process behind the Downham Lifestyles Project.
Mr Bullock last week admitted he is "disturbed" the contract for the £16m leisure development took nearly two years to sign.
He has now asked council chief executive Barry Quirk to lead an investigation into what went wrong.
Speaking at a full council meeting, Mr Bullock said he wants to avoid a repeat of the delays which affected Downham when it comes to future developments.
He said: "I am disturbed at how long the contract has taken to get to completion."

(Via Mayor Demands Answers After Contract Delay (from News Shopper): .)

Downham Lifestyles contract finally signed (Ladywell, Lewisham)

webteam — Thu, 15 Sep 2005 16:45:19 GMT

It will be 12 years late in coming by the time it opens but beleaguered Lewisham swimmers need all the good news they can get

The South London Press reports today of Lewisham Council finally closing the deal with the Leisure Connection Ltd led consortium to build and manage the Downham Lifestyles project.
The contract was signed last Wednesday.
The development is due to be completed in early 2007.
Its delivery by 2004 was part of the Mayor's manifesto at last elections.

(Via save Ladywell Pool Downham Lifestyles contract finally signed: .)

Click the link to read the Save the Ladywell Leisure Centre Campaign's passionate website.