THE FUTURE of Overton’s swimming pool is up in the air after a school said it no longer has the funds to support the facility which has run for nearly 60 years.
The outdoor pool, owned by Overton Primary School and leased by Lordsfield Swimming Club during the summer, may have to close at the end of the year.
School chair of governors, John Mitchell, said: “We are very grateful to the club for their support, particularly over the past two years when they have significantly increased the level of their financial support.
“With continued pressures on our budgets, we have concluded that, even with the continued support of Lordsfield Swimming Club, we can no longer afford to provide the finance and the level of staffing resource that is necessary to run the pool safely.
“For these reasons, we have no alternative but to look at a new model for managing the pool or consider closing it altogether.
“We fully appreciate that the potential loss of the pool will be upsetting for many but we have developed a contingency plan to ensure that the school continues to meet the curriculum’s statutory requirements for swimming, if the need arises.”
The school and club are currently in consultation with Hampshire County Council to find a solution.
Chair of the club, Lauren McCann, said: “During the summer, the pool is absolutely at the heart of village life and it’s hugely popular, especially on long hot summer days. It’s also dear to the hearts of many who have grown up and who live in the village.
“It occupies a special place in the village consciousness and at a time of rising child obesity and mental health concerns, it feels almost inconceivable that there is a chance that we could lose this hugely loved and popular facility.
“We are working as hard as we can to secure the pool’s future for the village for the next five years, and we are hopeful of a happy ending to this chapter of the pool’s story.”
To help, email chair@overtonswim.org.uk or follow Lordsfield Swimming Club’s Facebook page.
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