Families have been asked to put forward ideas for what could replace the paddling pool on Nottingham's Victoria Embankment. The much-loved facility, which dates back to the 1940s, was closed last summer after on-going problems with leaks and other issues.
Given the complexity and cost of the repairs required, Nottingham City Council said it will not be feasible to open it again. Instead, the local authority is launching a survey and during the next few weeks, people can give their views on what they would like to see in its place. A plan will then be put in place to source external funding for the project.
Councillor Audra Wynter, Portfolio Holder for Highways, Transport, and Parks, said: “We’re really sorry that the Victoria Embankment paddling pool had to close last year and sadly we’re not going to be able to reopen it. We know many Nottingham families have fond memories of the pool and we have done all we can to keep the facility running over the years.
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“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 £600,000 to bring the pool back to current standards for use – this is not something which our Parks' budget could sustain.
“We plan to engage 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.”
For full details of the survey visit here
