SWIM England, the National Governing Body for swimming in England, has sent two reports to Warrington Borough Council in support of retaining Woolston Neighbourhood Hub.
They have dismissed the thinking that Warrington has a sufficient amount of water space available for public swimming.
Nationally, Swim England recommends a total of 12 square metres per 1000 population, based on a country-wide average. This means that Warrington should have just over 2500 square metres -increasing with the new houses due to be built in the near future.
However, including Woolston Neighbourhood Hub, and including two non-Livewire Community pools at Penketh and Lymm, Warrington only has a mere 2040 square metres – one large pool and one small pool away from the recommended figure.
Judy Brown, Co-chair of the Save Woolston Hub Campaign, commented: “The reports that Swim England have submitted to Warrington Borough Council are extremely important.
Warrington has more than its’ fair share of rivers and waterways, and is within an hour’s drive of several coastal locations. It also has a strong sporting culture where swimming and rowing have always featured highly.
“We should be well above the National average !! However, even if Woolston is reopened, we still need another Centre the size of Orford Jubilee to just about scramble over the average figure for now. The recent small pool closure at Orford underlines even further why Warrington simply cannot get away with such a small amount of pool space for such a large amount of people. There will soon be a new generation of Warringtonians who don’t have basic swimming skills, leaving them at greater risk around water, and shutting off a whole range of water-based sporting activities that they might otherwise have participated in.
“The reports also cited that in 2022, swimming saved the National economy over £2.4 billion pounds (over £4.4 million per constituency), so quite apart from all the negative effects on Health and wellbeing, and all the misery this closure is causing, the maths of closure simply don’t add up !”
The next event for the Save Woolston Hub Campaign is a peaceful protest on Wednesday 18th February at the Town Hall from 4:30pm onwards. Co-chairs Laura Bather and Judy Brown will both be putting questions to the Cabinet.
