New Quarry swimming pool design being drawn up
Designs for the new state-of-the-art Quarry swimming pool are being drawn up as a detailed study of what the facility would look like gets underway.
In the latest update on plans to demolish and rebuild the pool, Shropshire Council said a full feasibility study would be completed by the autumn.
Leisure and health experts are being asked their views on what should be included in the plans to contribute to the future health and wellbeing of the people of Shrewsbury and the wider Shropshire area.
The council hopes the new pool will cut costs thanks to a more energy efficient design and income from an improved cafe. There is also potential for offices and areas for community and education uses.
The rebuild is expected to take several years to complete, but the council is yet to set out a timescale of when work might get underway.
In the meantime, the council said a survey of the existing pool found “no major issues”, and no immediate work needed to be done.
“It is quite obvious they are not spending any money on it,” said Bernard Wills, chairman of the Shrewsbury Masters swimming club. “But it still needs to be kept up to health and safety and cleaning standards.”
“What we would like is news on when it is predicted they would knock the pool down, and that a temporary pool will be put in place prior to that so there is continuity for clubs and public swimming.”
Mr Wills hopes work will begin by the end of 2020, and has asked for one small improvement to be made to the existing pool before then to make its last year a memorable one.
The swimming club’s annual gala was called off in January for the second consecutive year, after the timing board broke down, and the fate of next year’s gala is yet to be decided.
But Mr Wills said the council had promised to look into sourcing a temporary board to allow the gala to go ahead next January for a final year.
