Nairn Leisure Centre threatened with closure?
I heard talk yesterday that some of the Highland Council cuts may be ready to fall on Nairn Leisure Centre, with the HC looking to deprive the town of its swimming pool.
Apparently there’s a petition going around though I’ve not seen it yet, nor have I seen any concrete details on the matter.
Around this time last year the swimming pool was closed because the new tiles were falling off – so all the tiles were removed and the centre re-opened.
However, if the swimming pool is closed due to cuts, there’s no suggestion of the tiling being completed, nor is there any idea of when it may open – if it is closed.
Does anyone have any details about whether closure is actually in the pipeline, and under what circumstances it would re-open?
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There’s a petition in the Somerfield garage as you leave towards Inverness, which suggests that Nairn, Alness, and Tain could be in danger of losing their pools.
Hi Brian, just heard about this too from Murd up at Atmosphere: he has copies of the petition too.
Info:
‘The Gurn has been informed that there is a petition now circulating the town to prevent Highland Council considering Nairn Swimming Pool for closure.
Copies of the petition can be obtained from Atmosphere and other High Street shops. As part of their proposed cuts programme Highland Council are looking at closing some of the 12 swimming pools they run. This petition seems to be a quick ‘heads up’ to alert the community to the threat to the Pool and to make sure Nairn is not on the list for potential closure.
Can you imagine a holiday town without a public swimming pool? A town surrounded by so much water where children would have nowhere to learn to swim? Let’s make sure the Highland Council powers that be know Nairn’s feelings.
Information can be found on the councils web site.
Point of intrest,
1. The pool is due to close next month to have the pool hall wall’s refurbished at a cost of £170,000
on top of what was spent last year,total cost could run into £250,000.
and this is still been considerd for clousure what a waste of public Money.
why do we pay £100,000 to macdonalds resort in aveimore for the use of ther pool this is under grant aid.
we were looking to move Nairn , but the town is fast going down in our estimations. having a swimming pool was a big attraction to us , being all year round swimmers. the local shops seem less inviting each time we have visited . What is there for people like us wanting to relocate to scotland /nairn in particular ,when your ameneties seem to be vanishing
“The pool is due to close next month to have the pool hall wall’s refurbished at a cost of £170,000″
I sincerely hope that’s not just the cost of re-tiling the place!
“the town is fast going down in our estimations”
Nairn is actually on the up – unused buildings that have blighted the main road through the town are about to be developed one way or another.
We’ve also had a new community centre, which is actually a large and multi-use building for leisure and offices as well. Plus an expanded hospital and new police station.
The town high street – unlike many places around the UK – is still thriving with only a single retail unit currently closed and unused – though that has been like that for a while and does not appear to be for sale/rent/lease.
The town harbour has also been re-invigorated with new investment, and this time next year we’ll have a large Sainsburys on the outskirts to satisfy most retail needs and stop us having to drive to Inverness or Forres.
The potential loss of the swimming pool is about the only immediate downer that comes to mind, and that’s entirely due to cut backs that are hitting all areas in different ways – but to be fair, there are major swimming complexes at Inverness and Elgin which are far superior, plus another leisure centre behind the police station which offers a gym and sports activities. And then the possibility of another leisure centre opening at Sanddown at the west of the town should Deveron get the go ahead.
Frankly, I think it’s fair to say Nairn’s had to put up with a lot of crap and has arguably been in decline through the early noughties – but now is definitely on the up in terms of amenities and services available. I can’t think of a better time to move here, because once the A96 corridor plan gets underway, I expect house prices here are going to enjoy a strong upwards pressure regardless of the wider property markets.
2c.
Colin is correct Brian. Bids for the contract had to be in by 26/02/10:
‘Estimated total value of the project will be approx 170,000 GBP and will ultimately be awarded to the lowest priced tender.’
‘The works are to reline internal walls of the Pool Hall and men’s communal shower area with a proprietary aqua board. Work also include replacement of existing lighting system in the Pool Hall’
http://www.tendersdirect.co.uk/ourservice/TenderView.aspx?ID=%20000000002759935§=S176&cat=17
A supplementry HC Consulation document lists a potential saving of £380,000 from the Swimming Pool budget (page 2):
http://www.highland.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/91811870-6BA3-45F5-938C-6CA1DE6F99FB/0/Furtherideasandinformationoncommunityfacilities.pdf
Brian just been informed of a facebook group to campaign for the Nairn Swimming Pool – it has an incredible 354 members after only 2 days on-line.
You have to be logged into facebook to see it:
SAVE NAIRN SWIMMING POOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/SAVE-NAIRN-SWIMMING-POOL/106163849419778?ref=mf
Higland News Will be at the pool Tuesday 2pm for photo shoot protesters welcome
defend public services ,petition parliament for the instant recall of all councillors who don’t listen to the people who elect them sack the councillors ,save the swimming pool