'Ageing' swimming pool to close for £3.8m refurb

A city's only year-round public swimming pool will close for major refurbishment following health and safety concerns, including a risk of legionella.

The Jack Hunt centre in Peterborough is due to close for 24 weeks from next spring for the upgrade, which is expected to cost £3.8m.

The City of Peterborough Swimming Club (COPS) said the facility had been a "lifeline" since the closure of the Regional Pool, and the works would have a "massive impact" on its members.

Peterborough City Council's cabinet agreed to go forward with the plans, with leader Shabina Qayyum stating "we simply couldn't afford to wait anymore and place the public at risk".

Built in the 1970s and managed by Vivacity, Jack Hunt is the city's only year-round pool that does not require membership.

The facility's upgrade plans include modernising the plant room, replacing lighting, refurbishing changing rooms and renovating the pool tank.

Zameer Ali, the cabinet member for communities and public safety, told the meeting on Tuesday: "The pool is ageing and needs significant refurbishment.

"This work needs to be done to reduce operational risk, improve accessibility, inclusivity, and protect the long-term future of the facility."

He said that investment was "needed now to reduce the risk of unexpected closures".

Nearly £800,000 of the funding is coming from Sport England.

Qayyum, the council's Labour leader, added: "I know that there are questions from the public that have come forth around 'could we not have delayed the works?'.

"But when you've got an air-venting system that has health and safety implications, we're thinking about bacterial infections like legionella, which can make people quite sick, it's important that we make these decisions in a timely manner."

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