Following closure, a campaign started in the local community calling for the re-opening of the pool. This prompted the establishment of Haggerston Pool Community Trust, which initially organised meetings, protests, petitions, and candlelit vigils. From 2004 the Trust started to organise the annual Laburnum Street Party, attracting thousands of local people and featuring a children’s parade demanding the re-opening of the pool. The public’s affection for the building has been shown by the large numbers taking advantage of the occasional tours, including Open House 2003 when over 700 people eagerly came to visit the pool, with many travelling long distances to revisit childhood memories.

A long campaign is being waged, firstly to try to keep the pool open, now to try to get it reopened.

A public meeting was held following the pool closure.

The Haggerston Pool Community Trust has been set up, and swimmers supported by tenants groups, community organisations and schools have continued to put pressure for the reopening of the pool.

The Pool Users group came up with the idea of having a Healthy Living Centre in the swimming pool building - along the lines of the centre at Bromley by Bow. Shoreditch Our Way took on applying for the funding from the New Opportunities Fund.

The original bid focussed on the swimming pool as the hub of a Healthy Living Centre with connections to other projects - like the St Mary's Community Garden.

Unfortunately the cost of refurbishing Haggerston pool building could not be accounted for, and to make sure that the Healty Living Centre bid was successful, Shoreditch Our Way re-worked the plan to set up Shoreditch Spa.

These are all the groups who were using the swimming pool when it was open. If you are part of one of these user groups, we would really like to hear what has happened to your club since Haggerston Pool closed.

User Groups

• Rookie Club
• Aquajog (and Aqua-woggle)
• Sol Cohen Youth Project
• Gymnos
• Haggerston Swimming Club
• Our Lady of Good Council
• Laburnum Boat Club
• Leaside
• Christian Fellowship
• Ty'ga Karate
  

Schools

• Lee House, Rectory Road, Stoke Newington
• Randel Cremer Primary School, Bethnal Green
• St Monica's School, Hoxton Square
• London Fields Primary School, Westgate St
• St John of Jerusalem
• St Paul's and St Michael's, Pownall Road
• St Mary's
• William Pattern, Stoke Newington Church St
• Holmleigh School, Dunsmure Road

The Vision
Read the pool trust's vision of how the pool could developed....

The Wish List

When users of Haggerston Pool heard of threatened closures, they were outraged. Angry comments were made about the incompetent way in which Hackney Council had run the Leisure Centre. Users made reference to simple ways in which Haggerston Pool could be better managed and improved. This snowballed and soon people began fantasizing about what they would like to do with Haggerston Pool if money were no object. The 'Wish List' for Haggerston Pool was born. Users jotted ideas on the notice board and the list below is what they came up with.

• The basic structure of the place to be taken care of properly - without cutting corners
• Good showers
• Good filters for pool
• Good secure lockers of various sizes (that return coins)
• Hooks, good strong ones, that are safe too, in the changing rooms.
• Hair dryers
• More use of good lane ropes
• Improve privacy (for the private user groups)
• Disabled access
• Lift to all floors
• Enclose balcony to make it safer
• Financial structure for pricing to encourage regular use e.g. pay for three swims in a week and get a free sauna
• Crèche
• Towel service.
• Clear publication of costs
• Parking
• Free swim with exercise classes to encourage more exercise.
• To reopen some of the baths
• To create a useful community orientated space
• Well planned reception area
• Cold water fountain in the lounge area
• Shop selling sports equipment
• Café facilities upstairs as well as (if not, instead of) downstairs
• The café could also be open to the public beyond the pool
• The basic structure of the place to be taken care of properly - without cutting corners
• The café could also be open to the public beyond the pool
• Users stimulating demand for café services, increasing quality and enabling competitive pricing. It would also generate interest in Haggerston as a centre
• Traditional & alternative breakfasts for swimmers on the way to work
• Wholefood and cheap nutritious lunches (like the Cherry Orchard off Roman Rd)
• Weekend 'special meals' cooked by different multicultural groups in this area
• A place to go and eat on Saturday evenings (like Sutton House)
• 'Fiesta' occasions - links to the idea of a hall to hire for events
• Open air eating area- roof space and the green area to the west of the pool (neglected council land?)
• Information centre for help in structuring personal health and fitness programmes
• An art gallery, exhibition area
• Make the place visually attractive and aesthetically pleasing in a way requiring low maintenance
• Re-tiling of the floors in the changing rooms and pool-side so they are; non-slip, gently heated underfoot, easily cleaned and maintained, in nice colours
• Brighter colour scheme
• Music by pool
• To develop a centre to promote healthy living in an integrated way, i.e. including diet, exercise, medicine and environment, and not exclusively just to restrictive forms of exercise and leisure
• Sports hall with multi-functions Hall - for generating money e.g. to hire, line dancing, parties with licensed bar
• Open air area to sunbathe - like the Oasis Pool in Camden. Even have part of the roof reclining in hot weather
• Aromatherapy baths - with music
• Sauna and steam room, with large area to relax (along the lines of Kings Hall) with better facilities e.g. toilets
• Turkish baths and massage (aromatherapy massage)
• Sports physiotherapy and massage service available
• Good fitness instruction available for gym
• Health suite with sauna, steam room sun beds, lounge beds and beautician
• Develop eco-friendly practices from things like solar heating to the use of biodegradable chemicals
• Investigating the chance of changing to a brine pool rather than chlorine
• A greenhouse
• A community garden linked to the centre