Mearns Conservative Councillor George Carr has said he can see no reason why a swimming pool cannot be delivered in Laurencekirk following a discussion at Kincardine and Mearns Area Committee.
Cllr Carr said “We are currently looking at our facilities in Aberdeenshire and part of that exercise will be looking at our sports and leisure provision under an asset management review. I have long expressed the view that a pool be delivered for Laurencekirk and we were successful in projecting that vision into the construction of the new Mearns Academy Community Campus. An area of ground is already designated for the future construction of a pool.
“If there is a will within the Community to take this forwards then we can pick this up and feed it into the process with the most important factor being inclusion into Aberdeenshire Council’s future capital plan. A local campaign group would help greatly to achieve this, in conjunction with identifying genuine need.
“One of the most important aspects of a swimming pool is not necessarily the building of a pool, but the running costs. However, I would suggest that Aberdeenshire Council act as facilitators here and look at different funding models and alternative ways to reduce running costs.
“Future development and expansion of our Mearns communities through our Local Development Plan can also assist with financing and justifying a pool.
“There are so many health benefits of having a pool for young and old. Current access to pools in Montrose or Stonehaven are already stretched and having a facility in south Aberdeenshire would make sense!”
There must be a great need for a swimming pool in Laurencekirk. Travelling to Stonehaven and Montrose only adds to the cost.
We’d love to have a swimming pool in Laurencekirk. How do we go about setting up a campaign group?
Councillor Carr please continue actively to campaign for the swim pool and find ways for the various decision-makers’ to engage with the local community in collaboration to get it built and opened as soon as we can! There would be huge community benefit in having a swimmming pool at Laurencekirk Mearns Academy campus serving all age groups.
It would
– serve the Academy in enabling swimming tuition on campus as an ‘essential skill for life’ within students’ overall education
– save Mearns resident users costs by avoiding travel elsewhere
– enable and encourage swimming/ water sports by bringing these accessible to those residents lacking transport to Montrose or Stonehaven
– promote fitness, health, sport and leisure benefits across the local poulation
Swimming pool would be fantastic in laurencekirk. My son loves swimming but we have to go to stonehaven every week and the pool is often cold
Yes i think it would be a fantastic idea….would be good for all ages and so handy for all in Mearns….
It would be great to have a local facility. Could the Council undertake a feasibility study to establish demand levels alongside looking at funding mechanisms?
We need a pool it would be good for all the community.
I support the call for a swimming pool in Laurencekirk. On the coat tails of the London 2012 Olympic success and with an ever increasing obesity problem in our country it is vital that sporting facilities are readily available to the whole community but especially children. Learning to swim is a basic skill which should be available to all children. I have experienced considerable waiting times for children’s swimming lessons at Stonehaven and Montrose swimming pools. This could be eased by the availability of lessons at a Laurencekirk pool.
We have 3 daughters and currently have to run them to either Stonehaven or Montrose. They all enjoy swimming but it can be difficult to run them to these places, wait and run them back. It would be a joy to have a swimming pool on our doorstep which they could utilise more frequently than they currently do elsewhere.
We def need a swimming pool in Laurencekirk, my kids go to Stonehaven for swimming lessons and it would be a lot easier to go to Laurencekirk, plus the amount of new family houses being built in the area will be more kids and longer waiting lists for lessons in Stonehaven/Montrose.
I hope the plans do go ahead for this.
There is a very strong argument for Laurencekirk to have its own pool at the site of the new school. Many children in the surrounding area will be poorer swimmers and denied the possibility of developing a life-long habit of this very healthy activity. Laurencekirk has grown rapidly in recent years and is earmarked for many more houses. A growing town of this size needs a swimming pool. The long-term economic benefits of having a pool in terms of the local population’s mental and physical health must be considered. It is unfair for local people to be denied this just because of their AB30 post code. The additional carbon footprint of traveling to more distant pools should also be considered.
In response to A Davidson.
The Council are currently conducting an asset management review, part of which will be assessing need.
We await their findings with interest…
George
Staying at Glensaugh we have to travel 35 minutes to either of our nearest swimming pools at Stonehaven and Montrose. It would make a huge difference to us and many other families to have a swimming pool within easy reach, encouraging more children to take up swimming and offering adults more opportunities to exercise. I know that the running costs of a pool are significant, but if the whole picture is taken into account – health benefits, fuel savings, more children able to swim, then I believe the costs will be well worthwhile.
It is very important that a new swimming pool is included in the building of the new Academy and Community Sports facility in Laurencekirk. This would be a huge benefit to the local community, both in terms of health and fitness, and in the very important need to teach all our children to swim.
It makes sense for a town the size of Laurencekirk to have its own pool. Speaking as the chairperson of Stonehaven Amateur Swimming Club, I know that there is a critical shortage of pool space available in the local area. As a club we struggle to provide sufficient training hours for our young athletes, and a pool in Laurencekirk would greatly help this problem.
If we are to build on the success of the British Olympic Team in 2012, then we need to be supporting sport at a local level in the first instance.
I would absolutely love to see a pool in Laurencekirk. I take both my children to lessons in Stonehaven so would save me a lot of time, effort and fuel. I also love swimming and can probably speak for a lot of mums and say that I never find the time to go all the way to Stonehaven or Montrose to get half an hours swim on my own. I would go regulary if a pool was built.
Hi all
I have recently moved to Laurencekirk, and find the travel involved in getting to a swimming pool means I swim alot less than i would like/would otherwise do. Swimming is an excellent all-round sport for all ages.
I have heard conflicting rumors about a pool possibly being built as part of the Academy and Community Sports facility, does anyone know if there will be a pool built as part of this?
In terms of the ‘sports facility’ part; there are existing sport facilities in Laurencekirk and surrounds, the facility which is clearly messing is a pool, so I see no benefit in having a new sports facility unless it includes a pool.
I understand that there may be running costs which need to be factored in to any decision, but all I can say is that I am believe the ratio of running costs:usage by or benefit to local community would be in favour of having a pool.
If there is anything I can do to help promote the idea or contribute to a local campaign, I would be interested to know.
Thanks
Julie
Hi Julie, there’s no pool being built with the new Academy, and as far as I know there are no plans for an extra community sports facility.
Laurencekirk Villages in Control & Laurencekirk Development Trust are very involved in trying to get a pool to Laurencekirk, and there are ongoing meetings with various bodies to try and move things in that direction.
I’ll pass on your offer of help to the Development Trust. It was set up to help Laurencekirk move forward as a community, and is open to anyone who wishes to become a member. If you’d like to join let me know – you can get me at admin@laurencekirkab30.co.uk
Lynn
Laurencekirk definatly needs a swimming pool,, i seem to recall a few years ago someone was raising funds for one what ever happened to that.. the waiting lists in Stoney and Montrose are ridiculous
How far sighted of the councillor to suggest this. Of course it would work. A swimming pool would compliment the new school and increase the pride we have in the town, not to mention improving the fitness and seaworthiness of the local population.
The group needs to b slightly more proactive! (I don’t mean to offend anyone) This is the first time I’ve seen anything to do with a swimming pool yeah I’ve heard on the village bongo drums this and that but I’ve never seen a meeting advertised for swimming pool I’ve never signed a petition! In the world of social media this is the fastest way to get people involved! Look at Montrose has done with the cinema! They don’t take no for an answer same as when stonehaven tried to close the outdoor pool the people backed it!! This village desperately needs a pool, before any new houses And perhaps committees need new blood.
Since moving to laurencekirk, we’ve not heard anything about any proposals for a pool, or any development discussions.
Communication in this place is the worst I’ve ever experienced, anywhere! There’s a lot of different people, seemingly pulling in different directions. Who do we need to talk to to get everyone on the same page here?
This would be an excellent asset for Laurencekirk, and with the amount of people on the waiting lists for Stonehaven and montrose, it would clearly be well used!
Both our kids have attended swimming lessons at Stonehaven and know there is a waiting list so I feel there is more than enough families out there who would benefit from having a local pool. It would also allow us to go swimming more than once a week. There are also really good water based keep-fit classes that could be run for all age groups that the local community would attend and support. As a child at primary school we had access to a pool and therefore we taught the basics to be safe in and around water and think this would benefit may children who maybe can’t get to swim lessons every week.
Let the kids have a pool its right to learn to swim when you are young and lots of parents cant afford the extra money for buses to Montrose.
An essential life skill this should be key in all communities and with expanding ones as Laurencekirk will be.