Pool team not HAPPI that it remains closed
VOLUNTEERS who have given up time to renovate Haslingden Pool are ‘despondent’ that it has not re-opened, two years after being handed over to the community.
The baths have been closed since 2013, but were transferred to community group Haslingden All People’s Pool Initiative (HAPPI) with a July 2015 target re-opening date.
Bosses from Rossendale council, which still owns the pool, are hoping to meet with the group next month for a progress update.
Heather Brierley, 76, of Helmshore, volunteered with HAPPI and dedicated many hours to renovating the pool.
She said: “We were told that once the better weather came the roof would be fixed.
“But nothing has happened for months.
“We are all upset that we worked so hard on it, cleaning the tiles and toilets and stuff like that.
“People have paid to sponsor the tiles, we have all paid to have our grandchildren’s names on the tiles.
“It seems very unfair that we have done our bit, working there every Wednesday and nothing’s happened to move closer to re-opening it.
“We are despondent about it now.”
Heather added: “I learnt to swim at the pool at 65, I miss it and a lot of the other ladies miss it. To have it open again would be brilliant.”
Current HAPPI director Steve Marshall did not respond when contacted by the Free Press.
But Rossendale council leader Alyson Barnes said the group is now restarting work at the pool.
She said: “There has been a complete change of directors involved with the HAPPI work and they have been looking again at the base plan.
“I think what happened was they had a change of heart in what they felt the priorities were and we just asked them to get back to us when they clear about what they want to do.
“The money is still there, we are just waiting for a plan to come forward we can all get on board with.
“Things don’t just happen as quickly as you want them to.
“It’s an old building, we closed it because of a whole range of complexities to do with the building so we understand better than most just how difficult the project really is.”
Coun Barnes added: “They have been back up and running and they are seeking external funding and we are expecting to meet with them in May to see how they are going on with that.”
She could not confirm whether the council had set a deadline for the group to open the pool.