by Liz Todd

SWIMMERS have clashed with City of York Council over proposals to refurbish Yearsley Pool.

Users of the pool want the council to look at the possibility of keeping Yearsley at its length of 50yds.

So far the council has only considered plans for a standard 25 metre tank - just over half the length of Yearsley's current pool.

Now the Yearsley Pool Action Group has conducted a survey which it says shows overwhelming support for retaining the extra long pool.

Action group co-ordinator Fiona Evans said she hoped the council would look into their findings.

The group questioned more than 1,600 users at the pool over a five-day period.

They found only 11 people voted in favour of demolishing the Haxby Road facility and rebuilding it as a shorter 25m pool.

Mrs Evans said: "We are not seeking conflict with the council. We want to see a positive approach to the process with customer choice and consultation."

She added: "Although Yearsley is not ideal for competitions, it is used by many people for competitive swimming because it is the only 50 yard pool in York."

The plight of York's swimmers was highlighted by the Evening Press in the Save Our Swim campaign.

Following that, councillors pledged a £7million refurbishment scheme for the Barbican, Edmund Wilson, and Yearsley swimming pools.

But Leisure Office manager Charlie Croft insisted the council had no firm refurbishment plans yet at Yearsley.

He said GLR architects had only looked into building a 25m tank because that was the standard metric size of pools today.

Mr Croft said: "The architects were very clear about the fact that what we need is a comprehensive scheme to rebuild Yearsley.

"The position at Yearsley is such that the only way forward would be to rebuild it and we don't have the money at this stage."

Mr Croft insisted there would be proper consultation when the council began its decision-making on the future of Yearsley.

Updated: 15:45 Friday, September 14, 2001