If you were a child or parent in the 1990s or 2000s, you're bound to have set foot in Merseyside’s "unique" swimming pool that had much more to offer than others.
Europa Pools in Birkenhead in Wirral was opened by The Queen in 1995 and quickly became a family-favourite destination. It was the perfect birthday party venue thanks to its adored "fun pool" that boasted a wave machine and two water slides - receiving an invitation to a party here was certainly like hitting the jackpot.
The slides could be seen the moment you approached Europa Pools, with the two covered flumes travelling outside of the building, snaking around each other, and then re-entering the fun pool. Dotted around the edges of the pool were palm trees and fake red rocks giving it a tropical island vibe, while in the water there were fountains and sprinklers.
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Many will recall the memorable smell of chlorine the moment you opened the leisure centre’s glass doors and stepped into the reception area. Kids would rush to the changing rooms, desperate to get into the fun pool and spend hours enjoying its attractions.
There would be squeals from excited kids and parents alike as the wave machine began to roll into action every half an hour - although some may recall feeling slightly nauseous when the waves got stronger towards the end of its few minutes in action.
Despite this, the fun pool brought joy to all ages. A TripAdvisor review of Europa Pools in 2019 reads: “What a fantastic find. We've never been here before, but after a friend recommended it, we thought we’d give it a bash. My goodness, we most definitely weren't disappointed.
“My seven-year-old had the best time. She loved the wave pool and even braved the big slide. All the staff were friendly and helpful when we had no idea where we were heading. Even myself and my partner found ourselves enjoying it more than we expected. Will definitely return here.”
Sadly, families can no longer make memories in the fun pool, as it has been closed since the pandemic. In December 2021, plans were unveiled to expand Europa Pools’ gym into the area where the fun pool was situated.
At the time, the ECHO reported that Oxton Cllr Stuart Kelly thought the gym’s expansion was “not needed”, especially as it was being put in place of a swimming pool which was “unique” to Wirral with its water slides and wave machine.
He continued: “There are plenty of fitness gyms throughout the Wirral but there was only one fun pool specifically aimed at kids. The fun pool was profitable during holiday periods and I hope that the pool can be restored for next summer's school holidays.”
The fun pool at Europa Pools remains shut, with the website stating: “The Leisure/Fun pool is currently closed.” This has angered many families on Merseyside, with one person writing on TripAdvisor in 2022: “Since they closed the fun pool, it's simply not worth going. It was genuinely the best fun pool for many miles, in fact the only one on Merseyside. Now a soulless gym. Absolute disgrace!”
Families visiting Europa Pools can still enjoy the main pool, swimming lessons and a variety of classes.
What are your memories of Europa Pools? Let us know in the comments section below.
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