Claims Peterborough's Regional Pool will cost £15m to repair as campaign launched to 'Save our Swimming'

It has been claimed that repairs to Peterborough’s Regional Pool will cost up to £15 million, as a campaign has been launched to ‘Save our Swimming.’

Cllr Dennis Jones, leader of the Labour Party in Peterborough, called for ‘all hands to the pumps’ to ensure swimming facilities in the city can be saved.

The Regional Pool has been closed for several months, after RAAC was found in the building. It had previously been closed this year after Legionella bacteria was discovered, and then asbestos was found.

Today cllr Jones said the Conservative administration who ran the city until November, should have put more work into ensuring facilities were saved.

However, cllr Wayne Fitzgerald, leader of the Conservatives in Peterborough, said the party had been working on plans to ensure leisure services including swimming were provided to residents.

Cllr Jones said: “Group leaders last night (Monday) saw the report that shows it will cost upwards of £10 million, and more like £15 million to repair the Regional Pool.

"The stark reality is that a city the size of Peterborough should have three pools – we have Vivacity in the south, and there have been calls for a pool in the north as well. And of course, we should have one in the centre.

"Why should people in the centre and the north of the city have to travel to Hampton to swim?

"There was a lack of investment from the Conservative administration, and now we are in the embarrassing situation where we don’t have a city pool. The pool has been in a state of decay for some time.

"We must make every effort to look for funding from private sources, from Sport England – from where ever we can.

"It is a very challenging market. It needs to be all hands to the pumps. We need to explore and exploit every opportunity we have to keep the pool open.”

The Peterborough Labour Party have now started a SOS Swimming pool petition in a bid to keep the pool open.

Cllr Fitzgerald said ‘much of the groundwork and preparation’ had been done by his administration to find a private sector partner, and were in the ‘process of commissioning a new pool and leisure centre adjacent to the old pool site on Bishops Road.’

He said: “We were fully aware of the condition of the pool and its long term viability, and we clearly had plans to replace it.

"We remain committed to providing local leisure services including swimming, and of course, continuing to support Peterborough’s Swimming Club.”

The swimming club has called for action after being forced to train elsewhere in the county while the pool has been shut.

Peterborough Lido has remained open through the autumn and winter while the Regional Pool has been shut, but will close on Sunday (December 10.)

The Peterborough Telegraph has contacted the City Council and Council Leader cllr Mohammed Farooq for comment.