Swimming pools progress tracked on microsite

A microsite has been launched by Wellbeing@Merthyr and the County Borough Council to keep residents updated on the redevelopment of swimming facilities at Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Centre.

As well as giving details of the building work progress, the page on Wellbeing@Merthyr and the Council’s websites will include information on prices and membership offers that will be available across the whole centre. Please visit: http://merthyrleisuredevelopments.co.uk/

Good progress is being made on the work, set to be completed in the autumn with the recommissioned facilities providing a 25m, six-lane main pool and dedicated teaching pool with a full swimming education programme.

There will also be a new splash pool designed to inspire water confidence for toddlers, and the changing facilities will be updated and redesigned.

“Learning to swim is a vital life skill which improves people’s mental health and wellbeing,” said Council Leader Cllr Geraint Thomas. “Our residents have been without this swimming facility for too long due to structural problems. We are very pleased to be able to address these issues to bring these important community assets back into public use.”

Wellbeing@Merthyr Chief Executive Jane Sellwood said: “We can’t wait to welcome swimmers new and old back into the centre. It’s been a difficult time for all the staff, but we are grateful to the County Borough Council and our colleagues there who have worked so closely with us to investigate and rectify the structural problems and source funding.”

The refurbishment will include decarbonisation measures such as replacing gas fuelled boilers with more efficient air source heat pumps, which is predicted to cut carbon emissions by 61 per cent and create a more sustainable future for the centre.

The project is being delivered by leisure development specialist Alliance Leisure through the UK Leisure Framework.

Alliance Leisure Business Development Manager Gillian Dunster said: “These works will not only give the people of Merthyr Tydfil access to a local pool for the first time in four years but will also help the Council to meet its carbon reduction ambitions to benefit the community both now and in the future.”