Oldham Diving Pool:
Oldham Council has for the second time this week attracted negative publicity regionally and nationally – this time in connection with the lack of provision of a pool for board and scuba diving at either of the two new replacement swimming pools in Oldham and Royton.
A petition with 1,350 signatures demanding that this Council: Save Oldham’s Diving Pool, was received in May 2012.
Both the Sub-Aqua Club and Divers have for 30 years used this facility at the Oldham Stadium and apparently their campaign has the support of Olympic diver Tom Daley.
During public consultation, the Council has been less than truthful with these users, and, for nearly a year, they have been strung along with the false expectation that their needs were being looked into and might be catered for.
I say a false expectation as the specification for the leisure re-provision never included a diving pool within the proposed scope of works.
And latterly the sites chose for the Oldham replacement facilities were physically not big enough ever accommodate a replacement diving pool.
Would the Leader not agree that failing to provide a replacement facility is very regrettable, especially given Oldham’s past association with diving at the highest level, with Naomi Bishop competing in the 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games?
Does he also agree the actual decision to not have a diving pool was taken some time ago and he and his colleagues could have and should have shared that with the current users of the diving pool before now?
I am very interested in the answer to this question!!
Think we all are – shame we did not really get one. Disappointing but not surprising.
Howard,
Here is the response from Andy Banks (Tom Daleys Coach)to the information read on the Save Oldham Diving Pool facebook page.
There have never been more diving facilities being built than in recent years. Leeds new, Plymouth new, Edinburgh total refurb, London new, Aberdeen new, Southend new. These areas all have a history with diving – as does Oldham !! but it is not just history that has made Councils be pro active in new build. It is diversity of provision for the local community and the fact that professional diving programmes now make money – I know I have run two of them. We currently have around 600 children, teens and adults on the Plymouth diving programme
With a moveable floor the water space can also be used to generate even more income during the day. Are all these other Councils wrong – I think not
Oldham you have got this one wrong !!!! – If the decision stands it will be a travesty
Good luck to all you fighters up there !!!
Andy Banks
Great Britain Olympic Diving Coach for Tom Daley
More facts to back up the case.
Just hope some one is listening.