NEW SWIMMING POOL

Wednesday, 18 July 2007

Plans have been submitted for a small swimming pool at the Mytholmroyd Community Centre. The drawing below shows whereabouts in the Community Centre car park the pool is planned.

The application describes the new single storey building as a "swimming pool and fitness centre for the community of Mytholmroyd".

The plans have been drawn up by Moreton Deakin Associates of Blackshawhead, Hebden Bridge.

Background: in the 1980s and 1990s there was an active swimming pool group. Many local people gave their time and money to the Hebden Royd Pool Association which aimed to provide a pool for the communities of Hebden Royd. Land in Victoria Road was acquired for the pool.

With the recent inflation in land prices, the Pool Trustees were somehow persuaded to sell this land for development for £885,000 and give this money to Conservative Councillor Richard Marshall's Mytholmroyd Community Centre. There was no consultation with the wider community and it is difficult for ordinary members of the community to become members of the Mytholmroyd Centre.

No public discussion has taken place about whether the Victoria Road land should have been sold, where the £885,000 should go and what form of swimming pool the community would like.

In reporting on developments in November 2006, the Hebden Bridge Web raised several questions:

• When will the Pool Association accounts be updated?
• Why does the Charities Commission not intercede when accounts are so overdue?
• Why was there not any consultation with the many local people who helped raise money for the pool before deciding to give the money to Mytholmroyd Community Centre?
• Are there any plans or feasibility study for the pool on the Community Centre site?
• Parking in Mytholmroyd is already difficult - see discussion. Won't the lost of parking at the Community Centre make matters even worse?

We didn't not receive any reply from the Trustees who were entrusted with the donations made by the people of Hebden Royd.

Plan Documents

Comment on the planning proposal

Previously on the Hebden Bridge Web

Hebweb News: Victorial Road former swimming pool site - questions and developments

Swimming pool discussion - early 2007

Swimming pool discussion - April-May 2007