Marple Swimming Pool currently closed

[Steve Gribbon]

Good evening

I have just posted this on the 'Marple Community Hub' Facebook page.

Thanks for the link into this. I am at the Romiley site this evening, I shall see if I can get any information when I'm there, but regardless of this I will be in touch with the Life Leisure management to get further details. Marple pool and the changing area have been in need of updating for some time, being optimistic I am hoping that the pool closure will result in these upgrades, there is no way I want us to lose this vital leisure facility. Kind regards, Steve Gribbon.

Please bear with me whilst I push for a response.

Kind regards

Steve Gribbon

[amazon]

This is appalling news. Closed until 2019? IF funding is approved.

How has it come to this? And whay does there appear to be any appetite or urgency to get the situation resolved. I hope our new Councillors will be getting stuck in on this matter asap.

You only have to see the carnage at Romiley pool on a Saturday morning now, due to two swimming pools worth of kids and parents being stuffed into one small space, to realise that Marple needs a pool! Get on with it!!!

WE need a new pool codging it up wont solve the problem ...

[Belly]

This is appalling news. Closed until 2019? IF funding is approved.

How has it come to this? And whay does there appear to be any appetite or urgency to get the situation resolved. I hope our new Councillors will be getting stuck in on this matter asap.

You only have to see the carnage at Romiley pool on a Saturday morning now, due to two swimming pools worth of kids and parents being stuffed into one small space, to realise that Marple needs a pool! Get on with it!!!

[DLL]

It's a farce ... staff are being kept in the dark also.

When the quote comes through to carry out the works do we really think this will all be approved six figure fees no doubt.

A town of Marple's stature without a leisure facility is shocking.

[andrewbowden]

Got this email today.

Stockport Council is currently undertaking a programme of improvement works across lifeLEISURE facilities.

Initial investigatory works undertaken as part of this programme at lifeLEISURE Marple revealed some issues with the pool filtration system and the fabric of the pool itself, which necessitated further investigation. As a result of this, the pool was closed to the public to enable survey work to take place. The surveys have now been completed and we are currently working with relevant contractors to develop a programme to address the issues identified and provide a full costing for the work.

Should investment to carry out the necessary works be approved, it is estimated that the pool will need to be closed until at least the end of January 2019.

The gym and changing facilities will remain open as normal.

We apologise for the inconvenience this will cause. In the meantime, customers can use alternative lifeLEISURE swimming facilities. The nearest sites to Marple are lifeLEISURE Romiley and lifeLEISURE Hazel Grove.

[amazon]

An update from a scheduled meeting last week with Life Leisure who run the baths, were I asked for an update: they are currently undergoing tests to see the extent of the problem.  The closure will be at least 2 months, probably longer.  Much of the infrastructure dates from 1931. 

Whilst a brand new baths would be lovely, that will take time and money and if repairs are simple that will allow the swimmers of Marple a facility more quickly.  In the meanwhile, there are facilities for schools and general swimming at Romiley and in Grand Central, Stockport.

Now talking about a new roof which will be a nightmare with the way it is constructed underneath .it has bean or his being empted . it would be better closing it permanatly
buying the two properties on the corner obtaining a grant they are available and rebuilding and going from there .

[andrewbowden]

Thanks for the update Geoff.  I have been meaning to pop in and ask on the situation as trying to get anything out of Life Leisure centrally seems to be a real battle in my experience!

I for one would love a new pool but the question remains of where you would put it.  And it would take time and money.  Tameside council announced the replacement of Denton pool a few years ago, and the expansion of Hyde.  With Denton they are only just at the consultation phase on the new facility.  At Hyde they've found out they will need to replace some equipment as the existing equipment can't support an additional pool.  Both are some time away from actually being built. 

If Marple was somehow to get a new pool, it would probably take five years before it would be open.

As a frequent swimmer (usually three times a week - two at Marple) I will be very happy when the current Marple pool is finally fixed.  Romiley is a nice pool but offers no post 8pm evening swim sessions for men, and Grand Central is just that bit longer to get to.

Will be easier to take my children to their lessons too!

Here's waiting...

[CllrGeoffAbell]

An update from a scheduled meeting last week with Life Leisure who run the baths, were I asked for an update: they are currently undergoing tests to see the extent of the problem.  The closure will be at least 2 months, probably longer.  Much of the infrastructure dates from 1931. 

Whilst a brand new baths would be lovely, that will take time and money and if repairs are simple that will allow the swimmers of Marple a facility more quickly.  In the meanwhile, there are facilities for schools and general swimming at Romiley and in Grand Central, Stockport.

[Steve Gribbon]

I'll be interested to hear what you are told Steve. I've heard tonight that several significant issues have been found which are very likely to involve six figure sums and I'd guess a closure in terms of months given one is structural. Even allowing for some inaccuracy, and perhaps if a second opinion is sought some divergence re the scale, I think we may all need to get acquainted with the timetables elsewhere. Of course I hope I'm wrong.

Hello Corium, always good to hear from you.

I hope that information is incorrect also, the thought of the pool being closed for Months is a real worry, especially with so many who use it for their exercise. Six figure sums are almost hard to believe and if elected I would question just how has it got that bad before action is finally being taken. I'm a resident here, this is my local pool too.
As soon as I have anything back I will be in touch, I have contacted them on Twitter before asking why there is no investment in the Marple pool but no reply. This time I am hoping for a prompt and factual answer, but if I hear nothing by Tuesday I will be messaging them again. We deserve better than being kept in the dark if more issues are involved.

Kind regards

Steve Gribbon.

[JohnBates]

If you think it is time Marple had a much more modern facility, please sign our Sign to Swim petition along with the over 350 who already have:

here

https://www.change.org/p/stockport-metropolitan-borough-council-sign-to-swim-smbc-need-to-build-a-new-pool-in-marple?recruiter=103082685&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=share_twitter_responsive

or

https://www.hazelgroveconservatives.org.uk/campaigns/sign-swim-smbc-need-build-new-pool-marple

[andrewbowden]

Well they have already said it will be at least two months...

And I do hope during this closure they manage to stop the roof leaking.  That's been dodgy for ages...

[corium]

That's a fair point but I feel if there really are serious problems the sooner we are told the better. Contacting life leisure and also asking about upgrades can do no harm

Kind regards

Steve Gribbon

I'll be interested to hear what you are told Steve. I've heard tonight that several significant issues have been found which are very likely to involve six figure sums and I'd guess a closure in terms of months given one is structural. Even allowing for some inaccuracy, and perhaps if a second opinion is sought some divergence re the scale, I think we may all need to get acquainted with the timetables elsewhere. Of course I hope I'm wrong.

[ringi]

The few times I go swimming I like the Marple pool as it gets fewer children than other pools, hence my eyes are not messed up as much.

[wheels]

I'm not sure the configuration of the rec would allow for the building of a facility of suffice to size plus car parking. There would also have to be some unusual highways redesigning to allow access into and out of the car park.

The current closure of the pool does however raise question about the lack of decent modern facilities in Marple.

[marpleexile]

I  am absolutely sure there would be no contraversy about building on the Rec.  I am sure the Civic Society would get right behind it 

I'd expect nothing less of that bunch of miserable NIMBY busybodies.

They even got their knickers in a twist over the precise shade of green of ASDA's external signage - as if they were going to rebrand the entire company just because of them!

But Howard's right, the Rec is current just a giant dog toilet, it would be of far more recreational use for the residents of Marple to do something like this with it.