Published: Wednesday, 19th August 2020
Despite the government announcement that outdoor pools can re-open the Council have decided that due to health and safety requirements and the measures that would need to be put in place to ensure social distancing and everyone’s safety, the paddling pool in Ravenhill Park will remain closed this summer and will not re-open during 2020.
This decision was taken after a review of the guidance and safety measures required to manage and control the pool. The pool is free to use and there are no access controls in place to limit the numbers in the pool or to close off the surrounding open space like a conventional swimming pool. It is therefore not possible to meet the social distancing guidelines and keep everyone safe.
Councillor Christine Mitchell, Portfolio Leader for Culture and Sport said that “We know how popular and well-loved this facility is and this decision has not been taken lightly. However, we have maintained throughout this pandemic that we will only re-open facilities where it is considered safe to do so and the risk to users is minimised as much as practically possible.
“Unfortunately, it has not been possible to develop a viable solution to safely open pool and we have taken the decision not to re-open this year.”