Sudbury swimming pool to reopen after months of repairs
It'll reopen on 11th December
A swimming pool in a Suffolk market town is to reopen next month after months of repairs.
Bosses at Sudbury's Kingfisher Leisure Centre say it'll reopen on 11th December, after it was initially forced to close on 23rd August when damage was identified in a glass roof panel directly above the pool.
All other facilities at Kingfisher, including the gym, have remained open as usual.
Babergh District Council had hoped it would be a quick repair, but further investigations revealed other roof panels – made of specialist safety glass - were also showing signs of delaminating, presenting a more complex problem than first thought.
This means the local authority will need to examine a number of long-term options for the entire glass section of roof, which has around 170 bespoke panels.
Whilst the pool was shut, the opportunity was also taken to carry out additional pool repairs, as the pool building is nearly 40 years old.
"We know this closure has caused disruption"
Cllr Laura Smith, Babergh’s cabinet member for Thriving Communities, said: “We’d like to thank everyone for their understanding – we know this closure has caused disruption, but we have had to put people’s safety first.
“This has been a complex problem, and we have had to balance the need to reopen the pool as quickly as possible with finding the best long-term solution for the leisure centre and its users.
“We are delighted the pool can now reopen and can’t wait to welcome swimmers back.”
The glass roof above the pool has been sealed, and an additional platform is being installed just beneath it.
Cllr Smith explained: “This could present a better option than a like-for-like replacement of the existing glass, and we are working on the design and costings. We will bring forward proposals in due course.”
The leisure centre is owned by Babergh Council and operated by not-for-profit social enterprise Abbeycroft.
Warren Smyth, chief executive of Abbeycroft, added: “We know how frustrating the closure has been for our pool users, and we’ll be delighted to see them return.
“We will be contacting customers directly about their memberships and until the pool reopens all other Kingfisher facilities remain open and members can use any of our other five swimming pools. I would like to thank everyone for their patience and understanding.”