Shropshire Star

Shropshire Star comment: A sensible decision over pool

The Quarry Swimming Pool is a jewel in the crown for residents in Shrewsbury. And so when it was suggested that it might close and an out-of-town site replace it, there was a great deal of concern.

Published
The current leisure centre in the Quarry

Even in an age of austerity, people were not willing to countenance the disappearance of this much-loved facility.

The Quarry is somehow symbolic. It is the heart of Shrewsbury, a place of recreation and rest. It has welcomed huge numbers of locals and visitors for leisure and play over many years while the swimming pool itself has been a centre of excellence.

Aspiring young sportspeople have honed their skills at the venue as they’ve looked to compete in high level competition, others have used it for leisure while many have used the facilities to keep fit. Moving it to a distant corner of the town would have been a poor solution. Quite simply, it would have been harder for some to reach and so usage would have fallen.

That’s not to say everyone will agree with the proposal to redevelop the swimming pool and its attendant leisure centre. We live in an era where every penny counts and value for money is paramount.

And so when new designs come off the drawing board and the site is under construction, every effort must be made to ensure there is no waste. The building must be built to last, encompassing all of the available technology that will make it future proof and kind to the environment. It must also provide people with the facilities that they already know and love so that there is no diminution in leisure service or activity in Shrewsbury.

The people who fought hard to keep the Quarry Swimming Pool in the town centre can breathe a sigh of relief and congratulate themselves on a battle won. They demonstrated their viewpoints with considerable vigour and made a prescient case that won the support of the region’s decision makers.

The council too deserves credit for listening to those concerns and being prepared to revise its strategy accordingly.

It shows that people power can still help to shape the future of our town when a case is presented that is irrefutably sensible and has the support of local residents.