HaggerstonPool.com

Bulletin sent out on 10th March 2003
POOL MEETING

Next Haggerston Pool Meeting will be at 7pm on March 13th - VENUE CHANGED to Haggerston Community Centre which is at 179 Haggerston Road . Discussion and more info about all issues below.

YORK HALL SAVED!

Following a very high profile campaign by swimmers and boxers, Tower Hamlets Council have backed down and York Hall baths has been saved. There will now be a consultation process with all users of York Hall to work out how the building can be renovated and developed.

More information from the cafe in St Margaret's House, Old Ford Road or to join the email group for the campaign send a blank email to Yorkhall-subscribe@yahoogroups.co.uk.

SCHOOL SWIMMING

At the request of the Haggerston Pool Trust, The Learning Trust has carried out an analysis of school swimming in the South Hackney area. Of the 16 primary schools surveyed, 10 said they would definitely use Haggerston pool if it was open, and 3 more said they possibly would.

We also asked how many children left primary school able to swim the National Curriculum standard of 25 meters. 6 schools said they did not know how many children could do this. 4 said that more than 70% children left unable to swim this far.

BUSINESS PLANNERS

The business planners (Strategic Leisure funded by Shoreditch New Deal) continue to look at ways of rescuing Haggerston Baths. Their final report will be ready at the beginning of April. The planners have had 2 separate architects looking at the building and are waiting for their report back. They have had discussions with Frost Associates (consultants on the estate development around the pool) who are doing some catchment area analysis about the future development of the area. They are also looking at examples of other listed pool buildings which have been developed for community use.

LONDON POOLS CAMPAIGN

The London Pools Campaign has been set up by 8 pool campaigns across London (Haggerston, York Hall, London Fields Lido, Poplar Baths, Brockwell Lido, Hampton Pool Richmond, Marshall Street Baths Soho and Swiss Cottage Pool ). We launched the campaign in support of the York Hall demonstration on March 5th - and got some very good publicity including BBC news and several slots on Radio London. As a result 3 more pool campaigns have got in touch (White City, Eltham and Willesden) - as well as lots of offers of help including someone who is writing a book about swimming in London.

Apart from bringing the issue of swimming pool funding to general attention - we are hoping to get this onto the manifestos for the London mayor elections. Anyone interested in helping please get in touch.