Major review brings fears on swim pool
Fears over the future of Willenhall's biggest public swimming pool have been raised by a senior councillor in the wake of a major review of leisure facilities.
Fears over the future of Willenhall's biggest public swimming pool have been raised by a senior councillor in the wake of a major review of leisure facilities.
Culture bosses have ordered a viability audit of all council leisure premises across the borough to see if the properties are up to scratch. Now Willenhall South representative Councillor Sean Coughlan said he had concerns Willenhall Leisure Centre, in Bath Street, may be demolished and the facilities replaced at the site of a secondary school.
But Walsall Council cabinet member for leisure Barry Sanders said the audit involving five sites was still under way and no decisions had been made about any of them.
Councillor Coughlan, also the opposition deputy leader, said the issue had been discussed at a meeting of the town's Regeneration Project Reference Group and a report was due to be compiled by town hall staff.
"We asked the council officers about it at the meeting because there are concerns that the leisure centre could be knocked down and rebuilt elsewhere under the Building Schools for the Future programme," he said. "The town's main leisure facility could be relocated at Pool Hayes which is to be revamped.
"But I will fight any plan to remove the leisure centre from the town centre. It is in a central location and on the main bus routes. A lot of people would have difficulty getting to Pool Hayes which is on the other side of the town in the middle of a residential estate."
Willenhall along with Walsall Gala Baths, Oak Park Leisure Centre in Walsall Wood, Darlaston Swimming Pool, and Bloxwich Leisure Centre are being reviewed because they are in need of expensive refurbishment.
Councillor Sanders said: "We are doing a full audit of all leisure sites across the borough and we are far away from making decisions."
He said the findings of the audit would be subject to further talks with leisure bosses and would be debated in the council before a decision was made.
Town hall officers will give an update later.
