"More than 1,000 people have signed a petition calling for entry charges at Swansea's new leisure centre to be cut.

Opposition councillors are behind the protest branding £7 to use the water park "a rip off", although there are discounts for residents and families.

Council leaders insist the fees are not over-priced and say the facilities will be the best in the UK when the £32m revamped centre opens in March."

(Via BBC NEWS | Wales | South West Wales | Leisure centre 'rip-off' petition: .)

| Wales | 29 January 2008; 10:14:57 AM |# | | Discuss (1 response) |

"The new water park leisure centre in Swansea isn't due to open until March but already a row has broken out over the planned admission charge of £7.

Families will pay £18 for "a day out", but at busy times will be limited to a two hour visit.

The chief executive says they will have "at least 2 hours" to go on all the fun rides (but if there are queues for different things the time will go pretty quickly.)

BBC News Link

(Via Swim Club Forum Swansea Leisure Centre ... feeling flush?: .)

| Wales | 26 January 2008; 2:56:00 PM |# | | Discuss |

"OLYMPIC dreams could be shattered by the closure of Llangeinor Pool, according to the borough’s top swimming coach.

Phil Melhuish, head coach of Bridgend Swim Squad, said competitive swimming in the borough is in crisis because there are not enough pools and the squad can't get enough pool time. And that means the Olympic aspirations of top swimmers like Sara Lougher and Hayley Roberts could be in jeopardy, particularly if Llangeinor Pool does not reopen.

It was closed without warning at the end of 2007 for work on its heating system, but an inspection revealed a small quantity of asbestos beneath the insulation cladding in the boiler room.

The total cost of the work, including removal of the asbestos, is more than £25,000."

(Via Swimming: Drowning our Olympic hopes - icWales: .)

| Wales | 5 January 2008; 1:09:04 AM |# | | Discuss |

"Dai Jones takes the plunge ... and hundreds of Welsh farmers could follow, says Mansel Jones

ADULT swimming classes across rural Wales could be inundated in the new year following the Christmas holiday screening of an S4C series in which genial farmer and TV presenter Dai Jones attempts to conquer one of his greatest fears %u2013 water.

When Dai learned to ski in the hilarious S4C series Dai ar y Piste in 1994, skiing holidays became immensely popular among the Welsh farming and rural community. Now he's trying to learn to swim we can expect a similar reaction.

'There's a feeling among the viewers that 'if Dai can do it, so can I', explains the 64-year-old presenter, best known for his highly popular countryside series on S4C, Cefn Gwlad, which is about to go into its 26th year."

(Via Dai aims to prove he can beat phobia - icWales: .)

| Wales | 23 December 2007; 4:59:01 PM |# | | Discuss |

"CAMPAIGNERS trying to save their swimming pool from closure have taken their fight to the National Assembly.

A petition of more than 1,600 names, calling for Edwardsville pool in Treharris, Merthyr Tydfil, to remain open, was handed in yesterday by schoolchildren, parents and grandparents.

The Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Mike German AM accepted it on behalf of the Assembly Petitions Committee.

Merthyr council intends to close both Edwardsville and Gwaunfarren pools when a new state-of-the-art facility, including three pools, opens at Rhydycar next summer."

(Via IcWales AMs hear "save our pool" plea - icWales: .)

| Wales | 13 December 2007; 1:57:23 PM |# | | Discuss |