Shropshire Star

Bridgnorth swimming pool needs extra £10,000 after hoist setback

Bridgnorth's only community swimming pool has had a setback which will need another £10,000 to rectify.

Published
Bridgnorth Endowed Leisure Centre

Bridgnorth Endowed Leisure Centre's pool reopened just last weekend after 10 months but it has now been discovered that its hoist is unusable.

The pool was closed last September after structural issues were discovered when builders were working on an unrelated changing room refurbishment.

A letter sent out to supporters said: "To update you, we are working hard to raise the remainder of the money to complete the pool's refurbishment.

"We have raised about £5,000 to date so are some way towards our £10,000 total.

"Unfortunately a recent inspection of the pool side hoist has rendered in unusable - it has been condemned. This is going to cost an addition £10,000 to replace. The hoist is essential to make the pool accessible to disabled users.

"The pool is such a valuable asset to our whole community, young and old, far and wide."

The total bill for the repairs for the pool came to £300,000, which had to be raised on top of an additional £311,000 for the centre's refurbishment - which included a new gym, spin studio and new changing rooms.

The funds for the new changing rooms were put towards the swimming pool repairs and now, after a donation of £30,000 from Shropshire Council and the same from Bridgnorth Town Council.

Now a total of £15,000 needs to be raised before the work on the changing rooms and the hoist can be completed.

Bridgnorth Endowed School, on the same site, took over the centre, including the pool which was built in the 1970s, from Shropshire Council 18 months ago.

For more information search Help Our Pool Bridgnorth on Facebook, or visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/Bridgnorthpool