Camden New Journal - Letters: Footing the bill

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Camden New Journal - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published: 30 August 2007

Footing the bill for centre that won’t meet our needs

• I AM quite alarmed at the way Camden and the architects they have employed are going about the important task of refurbishing the Kentish Town swimming baths (Trouble with trips to pool, August 23).
This is a magnificent Grade II listed building, much loved by Camden residents and well worth the effort to get the job done right.
The price tag of 25.3 million seems to indicate that the coalition had that in mind too.
If a private developer spent that kind of money on a scheme, but did not bother to find out accurately what their prospective punters wanted, they would suffer the consequence when their would-be customers eventually voted with their feet.
In this instance, however, we, the taxpayers of Camden, are the poor suckers who will foot the bill for a sports centre which does not entirely meet our needs.
Both the managers in charge of this project and their architects seem to have no real passion for it or desire to please their intended customers.
Their main concern should be to deliver a competent scheme that will be pleasant to visit and increase in popularity. Not to justify their ineptitude in design and customer satisfaction even before a brick has been laid.
Their reluctance to listen to people’s desire for modesty and privacy in the shower and changing areas is incomprehensible considering this is something which could easily be rectified.
No further cost is associated with such alterations in the design. In fact, separate simplified areas for men and women would be likely to be cheaper and more appropriate.
There is still time to replace both the architects and those in charge on behalf of Camden.
What we need are people who have a clear vision and wish to provide facilities which are user friendly.
Those who try to impose some strange ideas they picked up somewhere along the way will meet nothing but struggle in this part of London.
Swimmers are a rare breed of people.
They never give up when they have the bit between their teeth. Remember how, just a few years ago, they saved the swimming pools on Hampstead Heath from closing down and how the Corporation of London, trying to impose a mixed showering arrangement at the lido, were hounded by complaints.
The coalition must learn from history, and act swiftly and wisely or experience the consequences of ignoring widespread concerns
RICHARD HALL
Chamberlain Street, NW1

Send your letters to: The Letters Editor, Camden New Journal, 40 Camden Road, London, NW1 9DR or email to letters@camdennewjournal.co.uk. The deadline for letters is midday Tuesday. The editor regrets that anonymous letters cannot be published, although names and addresses can be withheld. Please include a full name, postal address and telephone number. Letters may be edited for reasons of space.

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