Council urged to back call to keep Shrewsbury's Quarry swimming baths amid plans for £28m out-of-town pool
Councillors will be urged to write to chiefs calling for a Shrewsbury town centre to keep a swimming pool amid plans for a £28 million out-of-town facility.
Shropshire Council recently voted to prioritise borrowing to spend the cash on a pool in Sundorne, with no decision yet made on the future of the Quarry swimming baths.
Lib Dem councillor Alex Wagner described the decision as "absurd". He launched a petition last year asking for a commitment to keeping the pool in town, which gathered more than 1,000 signatures.
Now Mr Wagner is preparing to table a motion to fellow elected members on Shrewsbury Town Council, which asks them to send a letter to the chief executive and leader of Shropshire Council, making clear the town council’s view that a swimming facility should continue to be provided within the town centre.
"We need to keep our pool in town," he said. “The Quarry pool has nurtured a really thriving community who use the site for all sorts of different activities. It is an important part of creating an attractive town centre, with many users also spending time in local shops and cafes and taking advantage of the town centre’s wider offer after they swim.
“It is particularly absurd to vote to take a key facility out of the town centre whilst in the same meeting voting through a cut in Park and Ride fees to £1, and a 10-year strategy aimed at encouraging people into town and making the loop even more of an attraction.”
