An event at Houghton Regis Leisure Centre in 2012 attracted over 700 people and many of them tried out various activities for free.
The day started with an indoor boot sale at 10am, attracting people on a frosty but sunny morning. Visitors enjoyed various activities such as a mini-activity play area, table tennis, fencing, badminton, a bouncy castle, martial arts, weight training, dance-mats, and aerobics.
Local schools participated in a mural competition. Their artwork was showcased at the Leisure Centre and judged later.
In the afternoon, there was a tea dance and a Gators Hockey Match.
During the morning, numerous individuals enrolled in leisure courses.
The swimming pool officially closed in September 2011, three months ago.
Campaigners still hope that the Centre will stay open beyond the proposed end-of-contract date of 31 March 2012. CBC suggested closing the dry activities on that date, but some organizations may still be able to use the building afterwards. The site's management is currently being tendered.
A new contract for dry side activities should be in place for an initial 12 months, starting from 1 April 2012. The aim is to make the facility more affordable for the public to continue accessing.
Sally Gray, along with local campaigners Kay Hudgell and Tracey McMahon, among others, has been actively urging people to attend the SAVE HOUGHTON REGIS LEISURE CENTRE initiative. The campaign group also maintains their own News Page on Facebook.
"Stay Fit - Stay Open".
The event was attended by Houghton Regis Town Council Mayor, Andrew Roberts, who is pictured here with campaigners Tracey McMahon, Kay Hudgell, (and Regis the Lion) after the judging of the murals. The message on the mural and from local people is loud and clear - "Stay Fit - Stay Open".
The Price of an Empty Pool - 30/11/2011
Today, I visited my local swimming pool, even though it was closed, to capture some reference pictures of its empty state. To my surprise, the temperature inside the pool hall was unbearably hot. Perhaps it was due to my recent strenuous walk, but I wasn't expecting to be hit by such intense heat upon entering.
When I inquired about the sauna-like conditions, a Harper's Leisure employee explained that they had to gradually lower the temperature to avoid any structural damage to the roof. Now, I'm no expert, but it does seem a bit peculiar. It's been almost two months since the pool closed, and the temperature has only dropped to around 28 degrees from the previous 31 degrees. So, who is responsible for heating this enormous space? Is it Harper's Leisure or Central Beds Council? It's anyone's guess, but it's likely the burden falls on the public purse of CBC. And if CBC is footing the bill, was this cost factored into their supposed "savings" plan?
But that's not all. The changing rooms at the Centre are also closed. I was informed that there was an outbreak of Legionnaire's Disease last Tuesday.
The pool at Houghton Regis Leisure Centre closed earlier than originally announced, on September 4th, as a cost-saving measure by Central Beds. Since then, it has been drained. The Town Council has formally requested consultation on whether to fund the pool's continued operation, and the consultation letter is currently being delivered to homes in the town.
>Time to Save Houghton Regis Leisure Centre Swimming Pool?
22 June 2011
At the beginning of September, Central Bedfordshire Council ceased funding for Houghton Regis Leisure Centre Swimming Pool.
This week, residents of Houghton Regis will receive leaflets seeking their input on whether to reopen the swimming pool at the expense of Houghton Regis Town Council or to close it. They will also be asked to vote on whether to contribute additional funds through local Council Tax to keep the pool open from April 1st, 2012, to March 31st, 2013.
During this consultation, some may argue that paying higher taxes to the Houghton Regis Town Council is preferable, as it would be more expensive for swimmers to travel to and park at another pool, such as Lewsey Farm or Dunstable, especially for those living closer to the present pool. However, it has been noted that taking swimming lessons during school time can be disruptive to teaching, particularly if travel is involved. This incurs additional costs that local schools, King's Houghton and Hillcrest, have not previously had to bear.
Critics may claim that the pool is not suitable for learning purposes. In Hemel Hempstead, my own children had the privilege of accessing two excellent learning pools. One had a shallow heated pool for parents and babies, while the other had a movable floor in the learner pool, enhancing water confidence. The Houghton Regis pool, built in a different era, has faced criticism for being too deep for learners and, at times, not adequately warm.
Some are saying that it's best to mothball the pool for now,
- "It's old and tired, and looks like a big bath."
- "Let's wait for the investment to arrive in a few year's time, and come out of it with a better, superior, pool."
- "the present pool isn't fit for families, and there's nowhere for a parent to take a break."
Others will have expectations of getting better facilities for extra taxes, but they won't be, if the consultation exercise says "yes" to paying more to keep it open.
Central Beds Council have argued that only a few people use the pool, but others have questioned their ability to keep proper records of the number of people entering the leisure facilities, pointing to poor management. But there are no plans to change the present management.
Some will say they are already contributing to CBC's council tax for leisure facilities in other towns, and ask why they should contribute again, to the Town Council's coffers?
Some will ask why they should contribute to keep Houghton's pool open when other people from Dunstable, Toddington, Luton etc. will be able to come to Houghton Regis' facility and NOT have to contribute an extra tax.
Some individuals may highlight the government's plan to keep Central Beds Council's council tax at 0% next year. However, it is important to remember that this decision will result in more service cuts. Central Beds Council may argue that a small additional amount to the town council will be easily affordable. Yet, we should be concerned about the potential increase in crime rates and declining standards of care in our area. In the coming months, we will hear news about these cuts, and the town council may have to consider supporting the services affected. These services could include street lighting, CCTV, road maintenance, salt for the roads, and community care. Investing in these areas would help safeguard our community against crime and maintain infrastructure standards. Therefore, in addition to potentially providing financial support for these services, should we really burden the community with further tax increases solely to fund a swimming pool that no longer adequately meets our needs?
We are a conscientious council, and we are aware that many families in our deprived communities are struggling to make ends meet. So, we need people to bear all these thoughts in mind when they decide which way to go when they give their input to the Houghton Regis Town Council consultation.
All things are possible, and as a council taxpayer, I'm happy to go with the flow. I hope people will consider the greater good, and I look forward to finding out what the overall verdict is when we meet at our next full council meeting.
