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Forest Hill Pools
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Satchers
Posts: 262
Joined: Nov 2007
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admin
Administrator
Posts: 425
Joined: Dec 2002
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23-07-2010 09:33 AM
LBL media release
23 July 2010
New leisure centre approved for Lewisham
A new 2-pool leisure and fitness centre, to replace Forest Hill Pools on Dartmouth Road, was approved by Lewisham Council Planning Committee on 22 July 2010.
The facility is Lewisham’s fourth new leisure centre development to be approved in recent years. A new leisure complex was opened in Downham in 2007, and an additional 25-metre pool was opened at Wavelengths Leisure Centre in Deptford in 2008. A third leisure centre is currently being built in Lewisham Town Centre to replace the leisure facility at Ladywell.
A building contractor for the development is expected to be appointed before the end of the year and the Council aims to have the new leisure centre in public use by late-2012.
This new planning application for Forest Hill allows for the alteration, part demolition and refurbishment of the existing Forest Hill Pools building to provide a new pool and leisure centre behind the existing Victorian frontage which will be retained.
The existing frontage will be refurbished to form the main entrance and reception to the building as well as providing a changing area on the first floor. The majority of the facilities will be provided in the proposed modern additions.
Facilities in the new building will include a 25-metre pool, a 16.7-metre learner pool, fitness gym, 2 studios, community room and a café. The new development will include facilities and access for those people with disabilities. There will be disabled parking, bicycle and motorcycle parking and a drop-off area for vehicles.
A new “pocket park” is also to be landscaped around the new building and extended along Dartmouth Road to provide a public open space.
Councillor Chris Best, Cabinet Member for Community Services, said: “Lewisham is finally getting the first-class replacement leisure centre it deserves at Forest Hill.
“It has been a real challenge trying to find a design that can accommodate the many different needs of the local community. An absolute priority has been to make sure the new facility is fully accessible to everyone who chooses to use it but we have also had to work within tight budget constraints as well as the restrictions placed on us by the size and shape of the site.
“However, after a long and comprehensive period of consultation, combined with some serious thinking about the design and the cost, I think we have now achieved an excellent result. I want to say a huge thank you to the Forest Hill Pools Stakeholder Group and everyone else who has spent so much time and energy on this. We can now look forward to a first-class facility that can be enjoyed by everyone for years to come.”
Users of the pool are also celebrating after hearing the planning decision.
Thirteen-year-old Catford resident and Sydenham School pupil, Sian Rowe, has become a well-known face in the local area after new hoardings erected around Forest Hill Pools feature a metre-high image of her in action as part of the local Saxon Crown swimming team. Sian has been helping to promote the redevelopment of the Pools, having broken the record for 50m and 100m breaststroke at the Kent County Championships earlier this year.
On hearing the news, Sian said: “I’m really happy that the new pool is going to be opening soon because it means lots of other kids will get the chance to swim. I learnt to swim at Forest Hill Pools and then joined Saxon Crown once I had got to the highest swimming lesson.
“Ever since I learned to swim at Forest Hill I have loved swimming and I will never give it up. I know that having a pool in Forest Hill will help other people like me to enjoy the sport too.
“At the moment I’m training for the Welsh Nationals, which take place over the first week in August. I almost made my British Gas national time, but missed it by half a second this season. The pools I currently train at with Saxon Crown are at Ladywell, Downham, Wavelengths and The Bridge – and I train for the Beacon programme at Crystal Palace.
“Having a pool in Forest Hill will mean I won’t have to travel so far from home for my training. It’ll mean I get home earlier in the evening so I have more time to do other things and have fun.”
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Tim Walder
Posts: 67
Joined: Mar 2008
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nevermodern
Posts: 653
Joined: Feb 2007
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03-08-2010 06:29 PM
Thanks, Tim. Those elevations are nice to see.
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sydenhamcentral
Posts: 269
Joined: Mar 2008
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04-08-2010 03:19 PM
Yep, they look great tim, really good. It's nice that we are starting to get some proper architecture here rather than that cheap, ill considered, poorly finished, non-design, rubbish stuff on Kirkdale that has been 'built' recently. I think this and the Horniman extension are exciting,striking, modern additions to Forest Hill.
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forest_hill_billie
Posts: 28
Joined: Jan 2008
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06-08-2010 12:55 PM
I happened to be in Forest Hill Library yesterday early evening, and was surprised and delighted to see someone from Lewisham Council showing the plans for the new pools.
My only negative was it is a shame that we aren't to retain a glass roof, but apart from that it all looks fantastic. Am so glad that the frontage block and character of Forest Hill has been saved.
Cannot wait to swim in them... in 2012!
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robin orton
Posts: 716
Joined: Feb 2009
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08-08-2010 09:29 AM
Should we be concerned that the pictures of happy swimmers on the hoardings round the pool site don't include an obviously black person?
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Ciej
Posts: 39
Joined: Jul 2007
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09-08-2010 09:47 AM
I believe the pools should be open to anyone who wishes to come and swim regardless of race. Any attempt by the Council to limit access based on race or apparent race would be (in all liklihood) vigorously resisted by the community and most certainly me. Not to mention - it would be illegal.
I hope that goes some way towards responding to your concerns.
Also, what do you mean "an obviously black person"?
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nevermodern
Posts: 653
Joined: Feb 2007
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09-08-2010 01:12 PM
I'm confused.
Who's saying the pools should exclude people of different races? Clearly a prepostrous idea that no-one would ever suggest. I think Robin was just concerned about the apparent lack of ethnic mix on the hoardings.
Unless you were being ironic, Ciej?
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junegapi
Posts: 106
Joined: Nov 2007
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09-08-2010 01:29 PM
I agree with NeverModern. Let's not make a mountain out of a non-existant molehill.
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michael
Posts: 3,261
Joined: Mar 2005
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09-08-2010 02:15 PM
Surely any such hoardings must include at least one "obviously black person", one man in a turban, a woman wearing hijab, a person with a beard, a person over 90 years old, and a person with only one leg. If this is not the case then I hope the planning department will stop all work on the pool so that the faces on the hoarding can be correctly coloured.
I would try to write something even more tongue-in-check but I would probably be accused of racism. My only intention is to say that I don't care about the pictures on the hoardings as long as the pool is built as quickly as possible, and without wasting money on focus groups and consultations to decide the ethnicity of the faces. At least some of the faces are local swimmers - regardless of ethnicity and a far better criterion for inclusion.
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Satchers
Posts: 262
Joined: Nov 2007
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09-08-2010 04:04 PM
I have no doubts that the facility will be fully inclusive and that it is an oversight on the part of the Council to include a broader range of people.
Michael, in addition I had thought that a smiling child (ideally with a balloon) was an obligatory element of any 'artists impressions' or promotional material?
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nevermodern
Posts: 653
Joined: Feb 2007
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09-08-2010 04:21 PM
Could we have someone listening to Kylie and drinking brightly coloured cocktails whilst swimming, please?
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michael
Posts: 3,261
Joined: Mar 2005
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09-08-2010 04:54 PM
My apologies for forgetting the "obviously gay" person in my list of excluded minorities.
Clearly my posting was offensive to every gay person who I inadvertantly implied should be banned from swimming in Forest Hill. Can I assure you that this was not my intention.
Can I also make clear that my apology for offending every gay person should not be seen as an indication that I believe gay people are more 'sensitive' than hetrosexual people, I recognised that gay people have feelings just like everybody else - no more or less.
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nevermodern
Posts: 653
Joined: Feb 2007
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09-08-2010 05:23 PM
Obviously gay? I was bemonaning the lack of antipodean alcoholics on that board. Shame on Lewisham.
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Cellar Door
Posts: 356
Joined: Oct 2007
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09-08-2010 05:44 PM
I was bemonaning the lack of antipodean alcoholics on that board.
Thank you so much, nevermodern. Speaking on behalf of the silent "obviously antipodean alcoholic" majority, I am now wondering where I will go to paddle while listening to my Kylie remixes and drink my brightly coloured cocktails?
If we can't, then I will temporarily sober up, take off my cork hat (obviously) and sneak into the pool and do a brightly coloured wee.
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nevermodern
Posts: 653
Joined: Feb 2007
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michael
Posts: 3,261
Joined: Mar 2005
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09-08-2010 09:30 PM
I had a look at the boards this evening and noticed that there is indeed an "obviously black" person in the panel closest to Louise House.
No "obviously antipodean alcoholics" but some of the people may be doing the Haka for exercise.
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PVP
Posts: 271
Joined: Mar 2005
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10-08-2010 09:48 AM
Based on my recollection of actual real users of the old pool, the majority of the people on the hoardings should be maturing ladies who never hurry anywhere, especially when strung 3 across the pool, chatting away meaning managing a length is quite impossible.
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Ghis
Posts: 321
Joined: Jan 2007
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10-08-2010 12:55 PM
I was just wondering today: where are the best places locally to go swimming until the Forest Hill pools open again. Where do people go and where can you recommend?
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