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We have to close baths during much-needed refurbishment
• I AM delighted that so many people are as interested in Kentish Town Sports Centre (KTSC) as the council’s new administration (Leisure chief stakes career on Kentish Town baths refurb, January 18).
It has always generated strong public feeling and announcing the public consultation and closure has produced an equally strong reaction.
I, along with many people, am overjoyed that we’re moving forward with the project, but I do understand the concerns others have about the closure.
The partnership administration has made a £22.7 million commitment to refurbish the centre and retain all three pools. It is one of our top priorities, and to achieve it, we have to close the centre.
Unfortunately, it is just not possible to keep it open during the refurbishment, as it would greatly escalate the cost and the timescale and also prove a particularly unpleasant swimming experience.
I sympathise with all centre users who are facing inconvenience and disruption because of the closure and I apologise for this. However, there are sound reasons behind the decision.
KTSC costs the council £40,000 per month to keep open, not including the costs associated with emergency repairs. Boiler breakdowns are one thing but more recently, the learner pool closed after part of the ceiling fell in.
The longer we keep the centre open, the higher the cost, the greater the health and safety risk and the more likely that a breakdown would lead to immediate closure.
It also means that we have time to make alternative arrangements for schools and other users before the centre closes. GLL, the company that operates our leisure centres, is working on this now.
It also means we can start clearing the building and carrying out necessary building and safety tests early.
Everyone will have the opportunity to take a dip in the pools before the centre closes.
We’re offering adults and children free swimming during February half term, from Monday February 19 until Sunday February 25.
This is the first time Kentish Town Sports Centre has been significantly refurbished in more than 40 years so I really hope everyone will come out in force and tell us what they think.
If you would like to take part in the consultation, pick up a form from Kentish Town Sports Centre, Talacre Community Sports Centre or Kentish Town Library.
CLLR FLICK REA
Executive Member for Leisure
Town Hall, WC1
• IT'S been almost 15 months since residents started campaigning to save the Kentish Town Baths and now it is good to see the council moving forward with its plans to repair the facilities in full.
It is of course sad that the baths will have to face an extended closure – but anyone who’s seen the state of the baths behind the scenes will be in no doubt about the chronic disrepair they have been allowed to fall into over many years.
Let’s not forget that it’s been 46 years since the baths were last refurbished – they have been waiting long enough.
But ultimately this is a very exciting project. The council is reaffirming its commitment to low-cost swimming and fitness in the building that has served this community for a hundred years and more.
The finished product should be a tribute to the Victorians’ original purpose of quality municipal leisure.
I would urge people to get involved in the consultation process – it is now an open and community-led process rather than an officer-led process. There will be a public meeting at 6.30pm on Wednesday 7 February at St Patrick’s Primary School in Raglan Street.
For a real adventure, I would also recommend that swimmers, gym users and anyone with an interest in local history take advantage of the Open Days on January 22, February 5 and February 24-25 when tours will be taken behind the scenes.
CLLr PHILIP THOMPSON
(Lib Dem) Town Hall
Judd Street
WC1
• LABOUR councillors were out in force in your paper last week with Penny Abraham and group leader Anna Stewart claiming that plans to renovate Kentish Town Baths had “popped out of nowhere”. And that they were not being properly consulted.
Perhaps they have not been paying attention for the last year?
A narrow obsession with process in the council chamber is blinding them to the real world and deafening them to what the people of Camden are saying.
‘Save the Baths’ was a manifesto commitment tested in two election campaigns in Kentish Town and by 15 months of public debate. People said they wanted three pools and to save this fine example of our Victorian heritage.
They spoke, we listened. We won those elections and we’re sticking to our promise.
Out there in the real world there are two scheduled public meetings - on January 23 and February 7 – and a full consultation on the outcome.
The proposals have been widely publicised in the area and the council has worked with regular swimmers, schools and disabled people who use the pool to make alternative arrangements for them during the closure. And for councillors there’s been an executive report on the Baths and the open briefing on the issue.
If Labour are still in any doubt about the need to get on with the renovation perhaps they should take up the opportunity of visiting the Baths where they can see for themselves the parlous state of disrepair after decades of neglect. The sooner we start the sooner we can bring the Baths back into use for the people of Camden.
CLLR RALPH SCOTT
(Lib Dem)
Town Hall
Judd Street
WC1 |
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