Angry father says swim pool closure hits poorest

CLOSING A swimming pool will most affect those on low incomes, says a father who is angry at the way its shutdown has happened.

Halifax dad Alex Berry has written to Calderdale Council to cancel the silver membership his 15-year-old son Nye had at Halifax Swimming Pool which the authority announced earlier this year was to close permanently, having been shut during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr Berry says he is not calling for the pool to be refurbished or rebuilt but is disgusted with the way it has been closed, arguing that without the pandemic it would have continued to open.

But the council insists issues with the building had been worsening for years and rapidly recently and after careful consideration deemed “complex and costly” repairs which would have been necessary were not viable in light of the budget challenges it faces.

Mr Berry argues the council did not maintain the pool during lockdown, and alleges this was seen as an excuse to close it permanently.

CLOSED: Halifax Swimming Pool. The baths are over 50 years old and had been subject to numerous maintenance problems, say council chiefs.

“The suggestion is that the reason the pool isn’t really opening was because of lack of maintenance during the course of COVID. That’s a complete disgrace. They’ve let the pool go to rack and ruin,” he said.

Mr Berry said that at a time when there is concern about children’s obesity levels and

building a promised replacement at North Bridge, Halifax, was likely to be months or years in the future, leaving the town without public provision most impacting people on lower incomes.

Sarah Richardson, Calderdale Council’s Assistant Director of Customer Services, said closing

Halifax Pool was not a decision taken lightly.

“We know it has been a much-loved facility for many years, and we understand how upsetting the closure has been for local people.

“However, the safety of the public and our employees is always our priority.”

She said these issues pre-dated the enforced COVID-19 closure period and, as well as some further recent damage due to the age of the boiler, the site faced severe structural deterioration.

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