Debate over Shrewsbury's Quarry swimming pool future is welcomed
The leader of Shropshire Council has welcomed public debate over the future of Shrewsbury's Quarry swimming pool.
Councillor Keith Barrow said he wanted as many people as possible to have their say over what should happen to the pool and whether it should be spruced up, refurbished, rebuilt or moved to a new site.
More than 1,000 Shropshire Star readers have already voted for their preferred option in our online poll. The results will be announced ahead of the start of the council's three-month consultation next month.
The options are likely to include ways for the pool to stay in the Quarry or to be rebuilt on the edge of town.
Shropshire Council has been considering a number of ideas to address the town's swimming facilities since July last year and has commissioned a leisure firm to draw up a series of ideas.
It is understood that two options would see the Quarry pool refurbished – one giving it a minor "wash and brush up" refurbishment, and another a more extensive programme that would include replacement boilers and heating pipes.
Two other options will also be considered – one where a new facility is built on the existing Quarry site but with two pools instead of three, and another where a new pool is built in the Battlefield area, possibly at Sundorne Retail Park. Councillor Barrow said: "The consultation on the proposals are due to begin in March and we're looking for as many people as possible to contribute to the debate and decision making on the future of their pool."
Bernard Wills, chairman of the Quarry Pool and Fitness Forum, welcomed the Shropshire Star's poll.
He said: "The public consultation is necessary to move things forward but people need to start thinking about it and hopefully this online poll will get them doing just that."
In July last year Shropshire Council agreed to move forward with a detailed review of how to provide swimming facilities for Shrewsbury.
The decision was taken because the Quarry pool is in need of work to bring it up to date. A three-week survey on the issue was conducted before Christmas and more than 1,100 people responded.
At the latest meeting of the Severn Loop Forum, members were told that respondents to the survey had criticised the Quarry pool's current condition and temperature of the water.
But people also raised the importance of any pool being in the town centre, along with concerns about access for parking.
