Earlsdon Ward Councillor Allan Andrews has urged the Council to listen to campaigners fighting to retain a 50m swimming pool in the City and not to disregard the strength of the petition, which was recently confirmed as being the largest according to the Council’s records.
The campaign to retain an Olympic sized pool in the City was launched when the Council announced plans to close the existing sports centre in Fairfax Street, which campaigners acknowledge is ‘past its sell by date’, but they continued to argue the case for retaining a 50m pool to support Coventry’s Olympic legacy, after being a host city in 2012.
Cllr Allan Andrews has led the political charge behind keeping a 50m pool, and has worked closely with the City of Coventry Swimming Club to make the petition the largest in the city’s history.
Commenting on the campaign, Allan said: “We accept that the existing sports centre is no longer fit for purpose and is costing taxpayers an unacceptable amount of money to keep open, yet we are passionate about the Council keeping a 50m pool in the City. I’ve spent time at the pool recently and it is extremely well used, notwithstanding the condition of the building itself. If the swimming club is this successful in an old building, what is their potential with a more modern facility?
"This is about enhancing Coventry's Olympic Legacy. It is vital that we continue to develop our swimmers and that we find a way to encourage more people into sport generally. I believe we can develop a new sports centre with a 50m pool which will provide far greater benefits than a 25m pool can.
“It is incredibly positive that so many people have backed the campaign, with over 11,000 people signing the petition to retain a 50m pool.
“That size petition is too large for the Council to ignore or to disregard.”
Adding, Jo Deakins, Club Programme Manager, City of Coventry Swimming Club, said: “The response we have had has been great, it really shows how much the people of Coventry would like to retain a 50m pool! Everyone who has signed the petition agrees this is the way forwards, a modern flexible 50m pool programmed correctly can be profitable.
“We urge the Council to reconsider the proposed plans.”