{"id":446075,"date":"2020-09-08T10:30:59","date_gmt":"2020-09-08T17:30:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=446075"},"modified":"2020-09-09T01:35:54","modified_gmt":"2020-09-09T08:35:54","slug":"ponds-forge-may-reopen-to-the-public-before-april-2021-following-vocal-campaign","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/ponds-forge-may-reopen-to-the-public-before-april-2021-following-vocal-campaign\/","title":{"rendered":"Ponds Forge May Reopen To The Public Before April 2021 Following Vocal Campaign"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ponds Forge may reopen to the public before April 2021 following a vocal campaign which included the likes of Becky Adlington, Max Litchfield<\/strong> and Leon Taylor<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

It was announced last month that the pool in Sheffield, northern England, would remain closed for the foreseeable future before a reopening date of April 2021 was offered as the ‘best-case scenario’ because of the cost.<\/p>\n

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The city council had\u00a0 given Sheffield City Trust \u00a315 million to reopen most of its facilities across the city last month but said a further \u00a31.5million would be needed for Ponds Forge to open its doors which was prohibitive.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Clubs based at the pool – the training base of City of Sheffield swimming and diving and Sheffield City among others – warned they would not survive until then and it prompted an impassioned response across social media.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Photo Courtesy: British Swimming<\/p><\/div>\n

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Now Sheffield Council has stated that it intends to reopen the facility – which also includes a leisure pool and multi-purpose sports hall – although it has not given an update as to when that may be.<\/div>\n

A formal decision will be made during a cabinet meeting on September 23 while according to the Sheffield Star, a report will be published next week after council officers will work on the financial details.<\/p>\n

Councillor Mary Lea, cabinet member for culture, parks and leisure, told the scrutiny meeting the council was aiming to reopen the pool at the beginning of October.<\/p>\n

She said:<\/p>\n

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\u201cI am pleased that these plans will be brought to cabinet later this month.<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cWe know how important Ponds Forge is to the city\u2019s sporting excellence and our wider communities and the only barrier to having it re-open has been the financial position caused by the pandemic and continued restrictions on gatherings.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cWe are facing a constantly evolving situation in dealing with re-opening all of our services and facilities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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\u201cWe will be working with local groups that have come forward as discussions have already been ongoing between them and Sheffield International Venues around exactly how much support is needed.<\/p>\n

“However, we feel that if the venue is to be opened it is only right that it should be available for all of the public as well as supporting some of our sports clubs and elite athletes.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

A reminder of the Swimming World article published on 13 August 2020<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adlington Bemoans \u201cSad\u201d News Ponds Forge Will Remain Closed For The Foreseeable Future<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n

Double Olympic champion\u00a0Becky Adlington<\/strong>\u00a0has described as \u201cawful\u201d the news that Ponds Forge will remain closed indefinitely.<\/p>\n

Max Litchfield<\/strong>, the double European IM medallist who trained there between leaving Doncaster DARTES and moving to Loughborough, said it was \u201cdevastating news\u201d.<\/p>\n

So too\u00a0Leon Taylor<\/strong>, who was based there for several years, winning 10m synchro silver with\u00a0Pete Waterfield<\/strong>\u00a0at Athens 2004.<\/p>\n

Jo Jackson<\/strong>,\u00a0Liam Tancock<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Karoly Guttler<\/strong>\u00a0are among swimmers to have set world records at the pool in Sheffield, Yorkshire, which has also played host to Olympic and world trials, the City of Sheffield and Sheffield City clubs, diving competitions encompassing elite to grassroots and numerous learn-to-swim and community programmes.<\/p>\n

Masters clubs. County championships. Aquarobics. Age groups. Young and old. The venue has hosted them all.<\/p>\n

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It staged the 1993 European Championships where 15-year-old\u00a0Franziska van Almsick<\/strong>\u00a0won seven medals \u2013 six of them gold \u2013 and\u00a0Kristina Egerszegi<\/strong>\u00a0mesmerised en-route to four titles, all in individual events.<\/p>\n

Guttler lowered the 100m breaststroke world record to 1:00.95 while\u00a0Alex Popov<\/strong>\u00a0won four golds, including the 50 and 100 free double.<\/p>\n

Sprint freestyle specialist\u00a0Mark Foster<\/strong>\u00a0was among five men to set global standards at the continental short-course showpiece in 1998, with 21.31 in the 50 free.<\/p>\n

Two world records were set by women including\u00a0Sandra Volker<\/strong>\u2018s 27.27 in the 50 back.<\/p>\n

Tancock stopped the clock at 24.47 in the 50 back at the 2008 Olympic trials a year before Jackson lowered\u00a0Federica Pellegrini\u2019<\/strong>s 400 free standard to 4:00.66.<\/p>\n

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Liam Tancock: Photo Courtesy: Kyle Terada \u2013 USA Today Sports<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

It stands minutes away from the Wybourn estate where British head coach and guide to Adlington,\u00a0Bill Furniss<\/strong>\u00a0grew up.<\/p>\n

It is impossible to mention everything to which the pool bore witness. Dreams realised and dashed, the highs and lows of sport, the momentary shudder of the cold water after diving in. The heat in the stands.<\/p>\n

But on Wednesday it was announced that the venue would remain closed for the foreseeable future with 300 jobs at risk across the Sheffield City Trust which manages 13 fitness and leisure venues across the city region.<\/p>\n

Adlington, who qualified there for her first Olympics in 2008 before going on to win double gold in Beijing, posted on social media:<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is so sad!!!! I have a lifetime of memories from that pool. Awful for all the athletes and staff that train there. It\u2019s such a huge part of the swimming community.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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