Swimming Pools for all? The Council want your views.
We almost lost community swimming facilities at Park Pool in Ormskirk. Remember October 2015 when the Labour council threatened closure of Park Pool? Our campaign and petition stopped those plans then.
In Spring 2016 we were the first local political group to propose a new swimming pool in Ormskirk and Skelmersdale and others followed suit. We would also earmark £4million from existing council funds – £2million in Ormskirk and £2million in Skelmersdale towards new swimming facilities in both towns.
Since then, there’s been a lot of work behind the scenes from councillors of all parties to bring forward initial plans for new leisure and wellbeing hubs in both towns.
These new leisure centres will have to generate surplus to make the business case to borrow to construct them, but our earmarking of existing council funds from previous taxation or house building is a way to ensure that these plans are not watered down once the next stage of financial forecasts are made.
Consultation opens Monday 24th June 2019. Please, make your views heard, and let us ensure the proposals are not weakened due to a lack of interest. You can view the WLBC information pack here.
Selected extracts are below.
| Skelmersdale Proposals | Ormskirk Proposals |
| WLBC Say: The Skelmersdale Leisure and Wellbeing Hub will be a fantastic addition to the town. We want to know what you think about the plans. | WLBC Say: The Ormskirk Leisure and Wellbeing Hub will transform the local leisure offer, giving us a centre fit for the twenty-first century. |
| • 25m x 6 lane main pool • Teaching pool • Leisure pool • 120 station fitness suite • Multi-purpose activity rooms • 10-pin bowling • Clip-and-climb • Assault course style soft play area • Café | • 25m x 6 lane main pool • Teaching pool • Leisure pool • 120 station fitness suite • Studio spaces • Assault course style soft play area • Café |
| WLBC say: The preferred location for the new Skelmersdale Leisure and Wellbeing Hub is on Ingram next to Asda. The Hub will replace Nye Bevan Pool which will only close once the new facility is ready to open. Vehicle access to the Hub will be from Northway and Ingram and the facility will also be accessible to pedestrians and cyclists from Skelmersdale Town Centre. | WLBC say: We are proposing to build the new Ormskirk Leisure and Wellbeing Hub on Churchfields. This will provide improved access for users from County Road (A59) and will also enable the existing Park Pool facility to remain open while the new Hub is being constructed. Once the new Hub building is open the existing Park Pool site will be returned to Parkland as part of a broader scheme to improve Coronation Park. |
