Pontardawe swimming pool will re-open this week after it was forced to close suddenly in November, 2022, due to the discovery of serious defects.
The swimming pool at the King George V site was originally due to re-open by the end of January, but due to the nature of the work being carried out proving "a little more complicated than initially thought", the main pool will now re-open on Monday, March 6, and a reduced opening timetable will run for the learner pool from the same date. The team at Pontardawe Swimming Pool will contact Learner Pool Academy members via email at a later date regarding swimming lessons re-starting.
The pool was closed immediately on Wednesday, November 30, following an inspection by engineers which found defects in the building relating to a "void" around the training pool and columns under spectator seating. The engineers found that the site, which was built in 1974, required "immediate" repairs. You can get more Pontardawe news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
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Councillors approved funding for emergency repair work at the site following the inspection, which was estimated at around £141,000 over two years. These repairs will extend the life of the pool for a maximum of only two years.
Images from inside the pool released after the sudden closure showed shocking amounts of deterioration to the supporting walls and pillars of the site. Defects included deterioration of structural concrete in pool tank walls, external walls and concrete soffits. It was also, more worryingly, revealed that some of the issues with the unsafe pool were originally highlighted by building surveyor Arup more than eight years ago in a report carried out in 2014. The pool is currently managed by Celtic Leisure, but control is due to transfer to Neath Port Talbot Council.
Celtic Leisure has not yet responded for comment.
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