50m pool for Birmingham?

[Juicy Lucy]

Originally Posted by rwbham

The reason moseley rd would cost such an amount is down to 2 reasons:
it is an older building, requiring specialist work & materials

The problem with Moseley Road Baths is that it requires millions of pounds spending on it in order to bring it back to its former glory. When finished it would be an aqua theatre at its very best and a national treasure.

Of the 80 or so public indoor baths in Britain that are listed, six are in the Birmingham area, including Moseley Road Baths, which is one of only four given the higher ranking of Grade II*.

If indeed the building was restored to its magnificence it wouldn’t be used as it was when first built. The lifestyle that was common to millions of Britons in the 20th century has gone forever.

The baths have men’s private slipper baths, each in their own tiled cubicle, with bell-pushes to summon extra hot water. There are steam-heated drying racks in the former public laundry and every detail of the building was thoughtfully crafted using the finest materials of the day - glazed bricks, terrazzo flooring, ornate ironwork, leaded glass and oak doors. All this splendour comes together with the first and second class pools with their elliptical cast-iron roof supports, lantern roof and white glazed bricks. Architecturally it is stunning.

It could be opened again as a museum, but it’s in the wrong location. Imprudent historians may want to visit the building, but in reality, streetwise tourists would be unlikely to choose to travel to Balsall Heath.

The Council’s track record regarding pools in the City is hard to understand. I’m sure you will remember the old Nechells Baths? They were built in 1910 and closed in 1995. They gathered dust until 2003. The Council claimed they didn’t want to spend any money on a decaying building. Much needed funds could be better spent elsewhere in the city.

The Council agreed to sell the building to a group formed by local businesses for the ridiculously small sum of five pounds! Reopened to the public in 2006, the baths now house an Enterprise and Community Centre. The multi-million pounds rebuild was funded in part by....Birmingham City Council!

JL

[swim247365]

hi
ive now heard that the nia in birmingham might be having a 50m tank put in it insted

[Juicy Lucy]

Originally Posted by swim247365

hi
ive now heard that the nia in birmingham might be having a 50m tank put in it insted

You must remember that those sitting on Birmingham City Council have started dressing as Disney characters, in line with the perceived notion that they are a Mickey Mouse outfit! It's a case of the blind leading the blind. Don't expect sensible suggestions from them.

Did you read the leading letter in Friday's Birmingham Post? This correspondent has now become the number one opponent to the project and is receiving overwhelming support from councillors and focus groups who oppose the bid to build a 50m pool in Birmingham.

Councillor John Alden suggested putting in a 50 metre tank in the NIA. His argument that the Chinese swimming team would use it in the preparation for the 2012 Olympics, and so bring prestige and kudos to the City, is laughable. (Rumour has it that the Chinese team have already booked their pre-2012 training facility elsewhere!) The local newspapers are preparing to announce this news and a picture of a red-faced John Alden will accompany the article. He can''t really be blamed. He's being fed duff information by Leisure Services. (In my opinion, of course)

Some Conservative and Lib Dem councillors are now pursuing the idea of building a new 25 metre pool. They were wrongly informed by Leisure Services that swimming world championships could only be held in a 50 metre pool. This feeding of misinformation has annoyed them.

Regarding the Aston University site earmarked for the 50m pool, the University now realise that their piece of land is valuable! They have asked the council for £3m for it. The council are not happy with this price tag.

At the end orf March I thought the chance of Birmingham getting a 50m pool was probable rather than possible. I'd put the chance at 'unlikely' now.

JL

[Pandi]

[QUOTE=rwbham;84658

Tudor Grange in solihull is about 1/3 the age of most of birmingham's pools, but needs replacing, as it has reached a state where it cant be repaired.
[/QUOTE]
Why cant it be repaired?Why has it been neglected enough for it to be read the last rites?Just my opinion.
If aston uni,have offered land for 3mill too the council how much would a property developer offer them,for the same amount of land.

[Juicy Lucy]

Originally Posted by pandicus

Why cant it be repaired?Why has it been neglected enough for it to be read the last rites?Just my opinion.
If aston uni,have offered land for 3mill too the council how much would a property developer offer them,for the same amount of land.

This pricing of building land is exactly why money won't be spent on Solihull's Tudor Grange pool. As those who know the facility will tell us, it is situated in beautiful parkland right in the middle of Solihull. This site is probably the most expensive piece of building land outside London. Developers have had their eye on it for a number of years. Houses on this plot would start at a million pounds each.

With the declining numbers of patrons using the pool, coupled with the council's unwillingness to spend money on refurbishment, the building developers are rubbing their grubby hands together in delight. It's just a matter of time.

JL

[Pandi]

Why cant the council buy the land.Then grant planning permission for however number of properties,then sell on to a developer and make a profit.
Whch could then be used towards refurbing one of the other pools.

[rwbham]

Originally Posted by Pandi

Why cant the council buy the land.Then grant planning permission for however number of properties,then sell on to a developer and make a profit.
Whch could then be used towards refurbing one of the other pools.

The council do own the land already.
There is also a new Tudor Grange Leisure Centre
http://www.leisure-centre.com/centre...ID(centres)=52
This is run by a private company, who operate the sports centres in Solihull.
It is done as a PPP http://www.solihull.gov.uk/leisure/leisureoptions.htm

As you can see, this is a multi-activity centre, & is realistically the only way to make any public sports venue sustainable.
[Parkwood Leisure manages over 50 Leisure Centres on behalf of local authority partners throughout the UK] They also operate 3 private health & fitness clubs.
Operating that many venues will bring them some economies of scale, eg dealing with gym equipment suppliers, consumables etc


Woodcock St site:
This pool is part of the Aston Uni Woodcock Sports Centre, & is quite well used as it is, for general swimming, lane swimming & swimming lessons, as well as Guild sports clubs.
A 50m competition pool would cut into the time available for existing users, unless a seperate pool was also built, or the existing pool refurbished.
Aston Uni is also replacing most of the existing student residences with new buildings, where the current towers are, & wrapping round the other side of the lake.
This will take a number of years, ill have to check, but think its due to be completed by 2014. There is no chance of having more building work at the same time to create a new pool, the extra disruption would be too much.

[Juicy Lucy]

Four years on, and still no pool in Birmingham. Lots of talk about a proposal for building it in the Broad Street area, but nothing has been started.

All gone quiet in Brummie Land.

[laserblazer]

Originally Posted by Juicy Lucy

Four years on, and still no pool in Birmingham. Lots of talk about a proposal for building it in the Broad Street area, but nothing has been started.

All gone quiet in Brummie Land.

You can lways use ours JL.

http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/...plan_for_city/

The firm still reckon it's on.

[Tewson Veste]

3rd Sept 2008 laser. Seems a long time ago to be still on the cards. Mind you its only 15 miles from me so would be great as a training base. (If I don't die before it is built)

[laserblazer]

They are still talking about it TV. How's the shoulder?

[Tewson Veste]

Originally Posted by laserblazer

They are still talking about it TV. How's the shoulder?

Started training in anger this week. Still sore but consultant says I can't do any harm. Possible pain for 6-9 months but I can swim backstroke again.

[fast-swimmer]

The University of Birmingham is building a 50m pool with work apparently starting at some point this year...
http://www.sport.bham.ac.uk/news.asp...08%252f2011%26

[Breaststrokemum]

Originally Posted by fast-swimmer

The University of Birmingham is building a 50m pool with work apparently starting at some point this year...
http://www.sport.bham.ac.uk/news.asp...08%252f2011%26

Indeed! I was at a degree congregation last Monday and heard mention of it in the very lengthy speech made by the Vice Chancellor!