Peak swimmers can still take a dip
Alternatives in place while pool is repaired
Members of Stirling’s Peak leisure centre will have to use swimming pools in Stirling and Falkirk whilst urgent repairs are carried out at the facility.
The 25 metre, six lane swimming pool at the £27 million sports complex is closed until March after a serious fault was discovered in its concrete layer during planned maintenance works.
Active Stirling, the body who run Stirling’s leisure facilities on behalf of Stirling Council, has announced alternative arrangements for public swimming and swimming lessons during the closure.
Active Stirling in partnership with Stirling Council, Stirling University, McLaren Leisure Centre in Callander and Falkirk Community Trust has now confirmed an alternative public swimming programme and access to other pools in Stirling and Falkirk.
In addition to securing access to Stirling High and Bannockburn High swimming pools, public swimming and aquafit classes at Stirling University and public swimming at McLaren Leisure, Active Stirling has agreed access to swimming pools at the Mariner Centre in Camelon, Denny High and Grangemouth Sports Complex.
Members have been offered the option to swim at any of these pools or freeze their membership until the Peak’s pool re–opens.
Pay-as-you go swimming is available at Stirling High, Bannockburn High, Stirling University, McLaren Leisure Centre, Mariner Centre, Falkirk, Denny High and Grangemouth Sports Complex.
However, for Stirling High and Bannockburn High, prior booking must be made. Active Stirling chief executive, Andrew Bain said: “We appreciate it has taken some time in conjunction with many partners, to co–ordinate a comprehensive programme for swimming and access to other facilities across Stirling and Falkirk and that customers have had to wait to hear what options there are for swimming whilst the Peak pools are closed until March, 2019. We hope this programme will go some way to meeting demand so there exists as many opportunities as possible for public swimming, learn to swim customers, swimming for members and aqua fitness classes.
“The closure of the Peak pools was an entirely unexpected situation and we have worked hard to try and re–programme all existing activities as quickly as possible thanks to the help and willingness of our employees and partners in Stirling and Falkirk.
“We’d like to thank all our customers for their patience during this time and assure you that we continue to progress the repair work to The PEAK pools as a priority, as safely and as quickly as we possibly can so we can re-open in March 2019.”
Councillor Chris Kane, convenor of the community planning and regeneration committee which oversees sport and physical activity as well as the partnership with Active Stirling, said: “I’m sure this information will come as a relief to Active Stirling’s customers who have been patiently waiting for this clarity.
“The extended closure of the pool was a unique situation where there was no simple or quick solution to bring forward such a comprehensive re–provision of swimming.
“Thankfully these arrangements have now been finalised and we will continue to work with Active Stirling during this period of unforeseen closure to ensure we reach the target to reopen in March next year.”
Customers are also to be reimbursed for any swimming lessons they have arranged at the Peak this month.