I AM writing as vice chair of the Barbican Action Group, formed over three years ago when it seemed to us that not only swimming, but potentially all other activities at the Barbican were under threat of imminent closure due to the lack of necessary ongoing maintenance by the local authority.

We had no proof that "nothing was ruled in or out" of the plans for the Barbican site, but many rumours and nods from those in the know suggested it.

I have a sore neck from shaking my head as the rumble of discontent has risen some 36 months on. While having every sympathy for residents overlooking the site, who object to the scale of the project, I wonder if the others were among those who dismissed our requests for signatures on a petition to "Save Our Swim" saying that so long as their gym, auditorium, badminton courts, crche etc were unaffected, they weren't too bothered about the old fashioned pool.

We said that they were probably under threat too, that we'd repeatedly heard rumours of a hotel project, and as the principle was the same, would they sign anyway? But many were dismissive.

Where were they when we marched on the Mansion House, joined by schools and their heads, York University students, disabled users, and residents and swimmers of all ages?

Did they write letters to the papers, to councillors, MPs and MEPs, appear on radio phone-ins and TV interviews?

Did they stand collecting several thousand petition signatures? Did they attend council committee meetings, Sports Council meetings and most nerve-rackingly of all, speak to full City of York Council gatherings under its then "emperor"?

Without us there would have been no consultation, and probably no Barbican.

Dorothy Nicholson,

Grange Garth,

Fulford Road, York.

...COUN Keith Orrell expresses puzzlement over why the Save the Barbican campaign is raising its concerns at this late stage (Letters, February 23). The answers are obvious.

Firstly, we don't want the development. We want to keep the space, the facilities and the social benefits of the Barbican facility for our community and for our children and future generations.

We don't want more building. We don't want more parking problems. We want to stay fit.

We do not believe the council's claims to provide alternative facilities. We want a civic space that is ours and we quite simply do not give you the authority to sell it off.

Secondly, Councillor Orrell asserts that there has been a long and continuous process of "consultation". This is a wholly spurious argument. A consultation is a process in which one party - here the planning group in concert with a developer - presents their proposals to the public and invites their response without prejudging or inhibiting the response, allowing the public to respond in whatever way they think fit.

This has not happened. Instead, the council has presented its proposals as necessary and the only way forward.

The "consultation" exercise has not asked "do you approve of our action to sell off the Barbican land and public ownership of the Barbican centre?" which is the real question.

Rather, the council has presented their plans as "this development is going ahead and isn't it good!"

In fact, there has been lots of objections to this development from the beginning. Petitions and letters of opposition have been sent in and swept aside by a council determined on this sell-off.

John Issitt.

Save the Barbican Campaign,

Danum Road,

Fulford,

York.

...I WRITE regarding the proposed redevelopment of the Barbican Centre, in particular the swimming pool. The pool is used by a wide range of groups, among them school children.

As a parent of school-age children, I find it disgraceful that our children are to be deprived of swimming lessons at a venue within walking distance of their school for at least two years. There are three schools within walking distance of the Barbican and until very recently about 11 schools have been using the pool.

Swimming is not only a valuable, healthy activity but in York, a city with two rivers, it is also a precautionary skill.

Our children will miss out. The option of hiring a bus to transport the children to another pool will double the cost of lessons, and the travelling itself will take an unreasonable amount of time out of school.

We are being bombarded with information encouraging children to lead healthy lives, so it seems ridiculous that we are to lose a swimming pool and a centre which were originally built to serve the community.

As any kind of major construction seems to follow two principles (over budget and over time) what guarantee have we that we will indeed have a swimming pool in this area if the redevelopment goes ahead? And if it does, will we be able to afford the fees?

Maria Dodd,

Barbican Road, York.

...MY daughter and I went to see Jamie Cullum at the Barbican. It was a packed house, with people of all ages enjoying a brilliant night out in York.

What a shame that this fantastic resource, a venue large enough to attract big names and big audiences, is to be thrown away by City of York Council for short-term financial gain.

There is nowhere else in York that could host a concert like this.

I urge you and your readers to join the Save Our Barbican campaign now and stop the proposals to destroy this venue.

Imelda Pilgrim,

Hansom Place,

Wigginton Road, York.

Updated: 12:56 Thursday, March 04, 2004