Friday, April 02, 2010

Petition to protect Nairn Swimming Pool from potential closure

The Gurn has been informed that there is a petition now circulating the town to prevent Highland Council considering Nairn Swimming Pool for closure.
Copies of the petition can be obtained from Atmosphere and other High Street shops. As part of their proposed cuts programme Highland Council are looking at closing some of the 12 swimming pools they run. This petition seems to be a quick 'heads up' to alert the community to the threat to the Pool and to make sure Nairn is not on the list for potential closure.
Can you imagine a holiday town without a public swimming pool? A town surrounded by so much water where children would have nowhere to learn to swim? Let's make sure the Highland Council powers that be know Nairn's feelings.

11 comments:

knitted trunks said...

Maybe more folk should have used our pool, some found it lacking and drove through to Inverness. Whatever, it would be a sad loss to the town. I wonder how many reading this will remember when it was a salt water pool?
Lets hope the closure is no more than a rumour but lets face it, the council needs to find an awful lot of money from somewhere

Gonna gi us a job said...

This reminds me that I have seen what appears to be a brand new Highland Council van in and around Nairn this week.

On the side of the van is painted the word 'Vacancies' together with the HC web site address

I haven't heard a cuckoo as yet, but is this the first case of irony this year?

Mal Function said...

This threat - if carried out - would be serious for Nairn.

The town's appeal to visitors and tourists was based, a century ago, on "taking the waters". The original Nairn swimming pool was - in its day - a major feature of the town. It would be an outrage to close it down.

It's not just a question of visitors either. There are several groups of Nairn youngsters who train and practise in the local pool, and who compete at top level swimming contests nationally and internationally.

Local schools, sports organisations, and - especially - our elected representatives need to mobilise to defend the town's interests.

Kristinilla said...

I'm sorry but are we all supposed to be using the Aquadome instead? The Aquadome is already overcrowded and is not a pleasant place to swim. I'm fairly sure the last I heard there was a substantial waiting list for swimming lessons in Nairn. Where exactly are all those children going to learn to swim? Don't tell me they are also supposed to go to Inverness, to an already oversubscribed pool.

Knitted trunks, I agree the council needs to save money somehow but could we not see some cuts to administration costs and expenses before they start closing swimming pools and libraries (there is also a plan to close 17 local libraries - locations as yet unspecified. See Council consultation doc ).

If the council could show that it was being a bit more efficient in managing its expenditure it would be easier to believe that closure of some facilities really was a last resort. This is, after all, the council that announces the possible closure of Nairn swimming pool at the same time as it announces a six-week refurbishment for the pool in May-June this year. Assuming the refurbishment will not be free, this doesn't seem to me like a council which is approaching its spending in a logical fashion. Although I suppose it’s comforting to know that, if the pool is closed, it will at least be freshly decorated.

Anonymous said...

It would be nice if Inverness Council (refuse to call it highland), thought of area's outside of Inverness for once. I also be interested in how much per head of population spent in Nairn compared to Inverness.

Graisg said...

Swimming Pools, Libraries, nothing is sacred anymore.
Nairn needs a 'Royal Burgh Community Council' more than ever to fight its corner in this credit-crunched world.
It's time to get involved Gurnites.

knitting budget said...

In my budget review for 2010 I noted that this household paid quite a lot each month to something called Highland Council.
I was wondering if anyone had any ideas as to how I might reduce my outgoings to Highland Council especially in light of the fact that that the services they are providing seems to be dwindling at an alarming rate

Jane Harkiss said...

The whole idea sucks big style. I love swimming So much, it is quite possibly one of only 2 pleasures I get out of life anymore, having eschewed all the other much less healthy and nasty ones I used to partake in. Please don't close it. Please, please, please, pleeeeeease!! I'll do anything - anything - honestly. Please (x 1,000,000)

Two Cents said...

Knitting budget have you tried shopping around for a council tax deal? Eilean Siar seems to offer the cheapest in Scotland at the moment, might be worth a move

Unknown said...

People of nairn pay into the High Life £15000 One Hundred and Fifty Thousnd pounds per annum this would be further lost revenue for the highland Council

Anonymous said...

I am a regular user of the Swimming Pool and request everyone to help in saving the pool. There is a facebook campaign to "SAVE NAIRN SWIMMING POOL!!!!!"