Pool figures don't stack up claim campaigners

Angela Murphy • Published 15 Jul 2009 16:31 8 Comments

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CAMPAIGNERS claim the council"s statistics for pool users in Johnstone and Elderslie don"t add up.

Renfrewshire Council"s plan to shut the two pools and make one super-facility at the Johnstone High campus has caused outrage in both towns.

More than 60 people turned up to a last minute meeting in Elderslie to voice their concerns and try and help overturn the unpopular decision.

One resident said: 'The worry is that Elderslie will end up like a ghost town, with no facilities.

'It is a well-used pool - not just by eight people an hour that the council is claiming.

'Where are children supposed to go for swimming lessons and what about older people that won"t be able to travel all the way to Johnstone?'

An angry resident left this message on the Gazette website: 'If these proposals are based on declining demand and therefore usage rates, then I"m afraid this just does not wash with me.

'Let"s disregard families and instead all pile in to our cars (if you are lucky enough to have access to one - if not, forget going swimming) and drive our obese children to the pool.

'Leisure opportunities are already poor with little facilities for any social group so with an obesity epidemic, they appear to be ignoring the importance of "locality" for access by all people.

'People will use services MORE if they are within 10 to 20 minutes walk from their neighbourhood: usage declines with distance.

'This will be a fight based on equity in access and I look forward to it.'

Local swimmers expressed their disappointment in SNP councillor Tracie McGhee for assuring the community that the swimming pool would not be closing.

Chairman of the Community Council, Mike Stone added: 'We expect Tracie McGhee"s support and having voted the way she did is a real slap in the face for the community.

'Tracie and Eileen McCartin have both been invited to the next community council meeting on Tuesday September 1, and we would expect them to be there.'

Councillor Brian Lawson, deputy leader of the SNP group, said: 'I can confirm the Elderslie pool is used on average by six to eight people per hour during the day.

'Even during school holidays there is not much change.

'In the evenings the average usage rises to 10 to 15 people per hour, with some more users on Monday and Wednesday evening when we have general access.'

He added: 'A survey found most users were not local. Most of those users were from swimming clubs or attended swimming lessons.

'The two new pools at Linwood AND Johnstone will give these swimmers, along with local users, a far higher quality of facility for them to enjoy.

'There are also good public transport links from Elderslie to Johnstone High School and Linwood.'

This article appeared in The Gazette 15 Jul 09

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Unregistered User
Jul 15, 20:51
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outrage - that's all I seem to read regarding this.

60 people turned up - wow, probably the 60 people who used the library now and again.

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Ian Jones
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Jul 31, 09:18
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the pools in elderlsie and johstone are a disgrace - they have been crying out for investment for years. the council either had to invest massively in pools which aren't used or build a new one which - when combined with school use - will be used more often by the whole community. would these 'campaigners' really want more money literally poured into pools which no one uses?

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Allan McGeoch
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Aug 3, 11:09
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I have to agree with Ian Jones above - the country is in a massive recession, there will be massive cuts after the next general election. I think the council are being remarkably sensible in ensuring they/ we get maximum use of their/our funds.

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Lorraine Brown
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Aug 6, 00:29
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The new proposed pool at Johnstone High School will only be available to the public from 7.30am-9.30am and 4.30pm-10pm. Has anyone tried getting a bus back from that area in the evening after 6pm. The point is that, while public transport to Johnstone High School is probably good during the day, it is poor at night. I had to give up night classes at the West Johnstone Learning Centre when it was in the old Cochrane Castle Primary School Campus because I found it hard to get home on public transport - having to wait up to one hour for a bus. Getting there was problematic too because I either had to walk to town then get a bus (which only came every 30 mins if you are lucky). This was about 2-3 years ago. The bus service isn't much improved. I live in Elderslie, so compare that hastle to a) having a pool within walking distance during the day when I am most likely to use it, and b) a pool that is only 1 bus ride away not just for myself but everyone in Johnstone. And to travel to Linwood is ok during the day, but the bus stops at 6pm, and I think one company still runs a limited service on a Sunday. So I fail to see how these facilities are going to be reasonably accessible for us all. While this is great for Linwood and Johnstone High School - I personally have no objections to them getting the new facilities, it is unworkable for Johnstone and Elderslie. Yes, there is a recession going on - and don't the local traders know it! Removing these pools from the town and village centres will decimate them and there will be nothing left. As for lack of usage, every time I have been to Elderslie Baths it has been well used and many members of the local community that I know use the baths. Also, when I go, I go to a class, use the pool and the sauna - but I only get registered as using the class. I suspect many people hav noticed the same thing. For this reason, I question their usage figures. Also, if the baths are running at a loss - why do they not promote their services better? Yes, they advertise classes/events/public swim times inside the premises, and yes - people know the baths are there; however, if they have promotions and advertise their services outside their services (for example, posters in local shops and cafes) I am sure they can entice more people from the community into the baths. I agree that we need swimming pools that are up to the modern day standard, so why not rebuild Johnstone in the Town Centre which is accessible to all during the day and into the evening, and upgrade the pool in Elderslie. Both pools could have cafes or whatever in them to help generate funds to cover running costs. I am sure if we look hard enough we can still secure funding for projects like this even in a recession (Don't forget we have the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games coming up - we can tap into both (even the Olympics in London, England if we play our cards right). Also, if services are cut back/restricted during these lean times, does anyone think they will be regained in future times of plenty? No - once it is gone, it will be hard to get back. So while the pool in Linwood is a great thing for Linwood and competitive swimming in Renfrewshire, and the pool at Johnstone High School is great for J High, the plans are - in my view and in the view of many others - bad news for Elderslie and Johnstone as a whole.

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Lorraine Brown
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Aug 6, 00:38
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Just to clarify - I meant to add that the new pool at Johnstone will be open to the public at weekends as well. While some people may get better access on a Saturday, for many of us that still means 2 buses, or at least 30 mins waiting for one. (If you have to wait 30 mins to get a bus there, and another 30 mins to wait for a bus back - that's at least an hour travelling time which is not justified by the actual distance travelled). Buses into Johnstone Town Centre are more frequent, and Elderslie is still within walking distance for Elderslie residents.

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Shirley Anderson
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Aug 6, 13:57
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But the elderslie and johnstone pools are not popular - the main users of elderslie are the REN96 club and they have publicly backed the proposals. Its a simple case of how you best use your resources - either throw money updating pools which no one uses or invest in joint facilities which will be used by more people.

Also is the new pool in Johnstone High not actually better positioned for the vast majority of Johnstone residents as well as those from other areas? It looks as if it has a bigger catchment area than either of the two dilapitated pools put together!

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john butler
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Aug 13, 05:54
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I have read some of the comments above and whilst I cannot deny they produce some valid points I still struggle to understand why these pools should close.

The comment about them not being used; well I for one use the pool daily and admittedly as I work shifts (early)the pool at that moment sometimes does not have a lot of swimmers, though the gym seems always to be well attended. IF the proposal goes ahead for a new pool near Johnstone High it would be of no use to me as the "available" times for an adult would be outwith my scope, and I am sure I am not the only one. Also would the "new concept pool" at Johnstone High have a sauna?

I keep reading in the press how the Scottish Parliament wishes our younger generation to eat better and get fitter, surely with encouragement and a little education these facilites could be "advertised" better using the media. After all one of our "newer" Olympic medalists who put Scottish cycling on the map had to train in Manchester as the only facility Scotland had was left to degenerate.

Also I have to give the staff within Johnstone Pool a pat on the back, they are friendly, helpful, and those who actually wish help / tips easy approachable.

Better parking; better advertising; encouraging new swimmers and an investment to modernise is the way we should go, not rebuild.

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Anne-Marie Balfour
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Aug 31, 16:05
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Shirley, your comment earlier 'But the elderslie and johnstone pools are not popular - the main users of elderslie are the REN96 club and they have publicly backed the proposals' they only backed the development side of things, at no time were they aware of any intention of closing pools in leiu of getting new facilities.

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