Alderney's pool finally to be finished?

Sunday 05 January 2020

Campaigners for Alderney's community pool are aiming for a completion date of 2021 so teams can practice for selection ahead of the next Island Games being held in Guernsey.

The project has recently received a shot in the arm from ESC President Deputy Matt Fallaize, who is supporting its completion.

So far, construction has been dogged by delays and work was put on pause two years ago when the project ran out of money.

A total of £600,000 had been spent on the buildings for the pool, gym and changing room as well as resolving subsidence problems. £250,000 of that was donated by the States of Alderney while the rest was raised by the public and businesses.

However, it still lacks the 25m pool itself along with heating and filtration systems, which trustees are expecting to cost around £300,000.

Pictured: Plans for what the pool will look like.

When approached for more money for the project, the States of Alderney commissioned a £30,000 technical review of the structure, which took a year to complete. It revealed weaknesses in the building's foundations.

As a result Alderney children have had no choice but to learn to swim in the sea since 2014, when an outdoor learner pool was demolished to make way for the indoor facility.

The stagnant situation has led to public unrest at recent People's Meetings. Last month, States Member Louis Jean called for the building to be converted into a sports centre and for a learner pool to be reconstructed outside for school children.

However, Chairman of the Trustees, Kerry Wedd, said he was hopeful the situation would soon be resolved and that they could go ahead and seek funding to complete the project.

"It's a delicate situation," he said. "The engineer in Guernsey has got our final plans from our architect, Barry Pimm Smith, and we can't move forward until we have a final report from him and we know whether and how the contractors will accept their responsibility and deal with it. But we are in dialogue with them." 

The options presented were either tearing it down and beginning afresh, or reinforcing the concrete pillars it stands on with steel struts. That would reduce the guarantee from 50 years to 45 years and is the option that the Trustees have drawn up plans for.

It is thought future fundraising could involve reaching out to the States of Alderney, to the public once more and possibly to the States of Guernsey.

ESC is currently undertaking a review of swimming facilities for children across the Bailiwick and is developing a policy on the matter.

Deputy Fallaize, who recently visited Alderney to speak with Trustees, acknowledged that a lack of a pool for pupils was "not really a satisfactory position" to be in. He said his committee was open to any proposals from the island to work together towards completion of the project.

Although he said he was happy to champion the project, Deputy Fallaize warned that the money required exceeds the amount the committee can spend under its normal budget.

ESC previously agreed to contribute £12,500 each year towards the facility's running costs.

Mr Wedd said he welcomed Deputy Fallaize's support and looked forward to working with Guernsey and the States of Alderney once technical issues were ironed out.

Pictured top: The swimming pool site.