GO AHEAD FOR £600,000 POOL REVAMP
The £600,000 re-vamp of Thirsk Swimming Pool has been given the go ahead this week.
The last piece of the funding jigsaw was confirmed when Sport England approved a grant of £214,000. That will be added to cash from Hambleton District Council and local developers through Section 106 money.
It will see the pool's existing facilities improved with a new state of the art gym, studio / meeting room, dryside changing rooms and improved 'changing places' accommodation for disabled customers.
"The improved facilities will provide opportunities for the centre to increase take up rates in physical activity through better services and opportunities," said Hambleton's Cabinet member for Health, Councillor Ralph Andrew.
"It will mean we can offer first rate sporting facilities for young people, those with disabilities and older people - opportunities which will be hard to beat anywhere else in North Yorkshire.
"We've worked very closely with Sport England to get all the funding in place and have to thank them for the support they have shown to the south of our district.
"This project follows closely on the heels of a £160,000 grant made to the Galtres Centre sports hall facility in Easingwold last year."
The scheme has the backing of local people as well as members of the Thirsk and Sowerby Swimming Baths Charity which owns the facility.
Neville Huxtable, chairman of the charity, added: "I am delighted to see this project coming forward - we have been campaigning long and hard for some years to get the facilities at our pool upgraded.
"It is a very popular centre but one which has become a victim of its own success - it simply cannot cope with the number of people coming through the doors. With this improvement project we can build a new gym and create a special studio cum meeting room as well as improve changing rooms for our users."
The Sport England cash is one of the largest grants to come into the district from its Community Investment fund.
David Gent, Regional Director of Sport England, Yorkshire added: "We're very pleased to support this project, which is going to provide a really excellent facility for people in Thirsk and the areas around it to play sport and get involved in activity."
Work on the project is expected to start next month and take up to six months to complete. Local contractors Foden Spence from Stokesley will be undertaking the work.
- Developers must contribute 'Section 106' money to the council for every development they put up over ten homes - that cash is then used to fund recreational and leisure projects.
- Thirsk Swimming Pool is run by Hambleton District Council but owned by the Thirsk and Sowerby Swimming Baths Charity
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