NOW that the Barbican Pool sale has been completed, I wonder if the taxpayers of York are fully aware of the implications of the move to build a new swimming pool at Oaklands School instead of refurbishing the Edmund Wilson Pool.
City of York Council's estimate of refurbishing Edmund Wilson Pool is £3.1 million. The cost of a new smaller pool at Oaklands is estimated at £5.42 million, including sports and crèche facilities to bring it into line with the facilities already available at Edmund Wilson Pool.
Of the £5.42 million cost of the Oaklands scheme, £4 million is to be obtained from the cash received from the sale of the Barbican Pool, plus a borrowing of £1.42 million.
As I understand it, the remaining money from the sale of the Barbican is to be used for some refurbishment of Yearsley Pool, costing £0.5 million, and £2 million is to be allocated to a joint venture with the University of York to build a pool on the university campus.
We have lost the Barbican Pool. We are about to lose the Edmund Wilson Pool. We will be left with a school pool at Oaklands, and a university pool at Heslington campus, and the taxpayers of York will be borrowing money to fund this move. All of the figures quoted are contained in the reports of the assistant director (lifelong learning) and head of property services, dated December 6 and 19 2006, which are open to public scrutiny.
I have no political allegiance either way, but feel the ordinary swimmers of York have been short-changed.
Les Sweeney, Dalmally Close, York.
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