Fans of Victoria Embankment paddling pool are clubbing together to try and save the facility, as they say dipping a toe in the water for free is needed more than ever due to the cost of living crisis. It was announced last month that the paddling pool would close permanently, due to an estimated £400,000 bill for getting it up to standard, which the city council said it cannot afford.
Many people across Nottingham have fond memories of the Victoria Embankment paddling pool. In the summer months enjoying a day out with friends or family, people have told Nottinghamshire Live they loved it as going there “didn’t cost a penny” in terms of entry.
It was announced last month that the pool would close permanently. Nottingham City Council who were responsible for running the pool are in talks about what would replace the landmark.
The pool, which was opened in the 40s holds many memories for different generations. Now, one activist from the Meadows has set up a GoFundMe page to try and save the pool.
47-year-old Margaret Bohacz is organising the fundraiser. Margaret, who is from the Meadows, spends her time being an activist and last December formed the Meadows Action Group.
Margaret spoke about what the paddling pool means to the community, she said: “It’s been here nearly 70 years, I’ve had 5 generations that have used this pool. With the cost of living, people can’t afford to go on holidays, this [the paddling pool] costs nothing, people used to travel to use this pool from Mansfield and Newark.”
So far, the Meadows Action Group have hosted Easter Egg hunts and an event for the Queen's Jubilee where around 500 people showed up. Margaret continued and said: “Now, we’re trying to save the paddling pool which the city council have left to run into the ground and not consulted residents. This paddling pool isn’t just for The Meadows, it’s for everyone in Nottingham. It’s [the paddling pool] gated, it’s safe for kids, all you need is a packet of sandwiches and a bottle of pop to enjoy yourselves.”
Noticing other cuts within the community, Margaret mentioned that there have been many things lost. She said: “The city council has cut back on everything: community centres, libraries, now this. There’s more and more being taken away and nothing given back. It’s getting harder and harder for families too with all these cuts.
“I love the Meadows, it has a bad rep but the community spirit has always been there, it’s a beautiful place to live and it’s full of culture, every Wednesday there’s a kick about with the local football group, there’s all these events but nothing is put back into the community.”
The Meadows Action Group meets once a month at the Portland Leisure Centre. The next meeting will be on June 20.
Previously, Nottingham City Council had mentioned that the maintenance of the paddling pool had been difficult to maintain. Margaret said: “There was a pump that was fixed three years ago, now, I’ve been told it’s broken but the pool hasn’t been used for three years. It’s heartbreaking, I’d sit here with a hose and fill the pool everyday just for people to have memories.
“Now, the best thing to happen would be to get funding and National Lottery funding to get the pool up and running so that it can be maintained for the next thirty to forty years to give other families the memories that other people like me have.”
Passer-by John Thorn, 73, is retired and lives in West Bridgford. He was also saddened to hear about the closure of the pool.
John said: “My children are grown up and I have 2 grandchildren, one of my grandchildren will never know what this pool was like in the summer. Nottingham as a whole used to be thriving, this pool didn’t cost a penny, it was completely free.
“The paddling pool is a landmark and whatever replaces it will never be as good as it was. I'm glad to hear that someone is trying to do their bit to secure money for the pool."
Dawn Hartwright, a 52-year-old health assistant from the Meadows said: “My daughter used to love playing here, we’d stay for hours in the summer. It was such a good time, all the parents used to have fun too and you’d bring blankets for a picnic.
“I’m sad to see this go. It's always nice to have a variety of community activities that are either free or cheap but there isn’t a lot of that anymore.”
Speaking previously, Eddie Curry, head of public realm at the city council, said: “We’re really sorry that the Victoria Embankment paddling pool had to close last year and unfortunately we’re not going to be able to reopen it this summer.
“The original pool dates back more than 70 years to the 1940s, while the current plant equipment is from the 1980s. This has made maintaining the facility extremely challenging, both in a practical and financial sense. Parts are increasingly difficult to source and often very expensive.
“We’ve carried out numerous repairs in the past 15 years but, with such pressure on funds, these have invariably been more short-term in nature. We estimate it would cost around £400,000 to bring the pool back up to current standards for use – this is not something which our Parks budget could sustain.
“A planned consultation was unfortunately delayed by Covid-related capacity and ongoing work to restore the nearby war memorial. We plan to speak to the public in the coming weeks to see what they would like in place of the pool. We will then look to launch a strategy to raise funds externally.”
The pool has been closed a number of times due to faults over the years. In July 2019, a family spoke of their frustration when the facility was closed on one of the hottest days of the year. A new pump was ordered so the pool could reopen at the time.
To support the GoFundMe, you can donate here. The group has raised £75 of a £400,000 goal since it was started on June 5, 2022.
