A GROUP which has raised concerns about ‘village-style’ swimming pool changing rooms says the plans are “nonsensical”.
Work on the town’s new swimming pool, which will be housed inside Monmouth Leisure Centre, should begin in November and is expected to take just over a year to complete.
Including more fitness and spinning suites, a spa, squash courts, a special sensory unit and an adventure play area with adjacent cafe, the new leisure centre will be completely remodelled and also include the construction of a new 25-metre swimming pool.
Plans for the swimming pool’s changing areas have been met with concern from a number of residents and swimmers.
The plans feature a shared, unisex changing area with separate male and female group changing areas and toilets. In the unisex space there will be 20 private cubicles and shared shower areas, with two private shower cubicles.
Known as ‘Village Style’ changing areas, these plans mirror those in a number of other swimming pools, including nearby centres in Hereford.
However, concerns raised by residents claim these types of changing rooms could dissuade some people from using the facilities.
Rick and Jan Currie, two members of the swimming group, told the Beacon: “Two weeks ago The Times quoted Dr Helen Stokes-Lampard, the head of the Royal College of GPs, saying loneliness was as damaging to health as long-term chronic illness.
“The laughter from changing rooms was ever present at the old Monmouth pool and, Abergavenny’s surviving pool is the same.
“This cannot be achieved in ‘village style’ pools, where in mixed changing areas you get shampoo and towel from the locker, shower, go back to locker for clothes and then find a changing cubical.”
Another member of the swimmers, Dr Charlotte Jones, said: “One cannot shower without wearing a swimsuit, so it is not feasible to wash one’s hair and body unless one puts on one’s wet swimsuit again. It is nonsensical to have to shower hygienically at home, before or after showering at the pool.”
After attending a meeting in January to view the potential plans, work was underway to propose an alternative.
These suggested plans, described as a “compromise” by the group, proposed including two shower heads in each of the shared changing areas and were made in February.
The group say they were then involved in a drawn-out discussion with the council over a number of months, with the proposals being rejected on a number of factors including “increased humidity and moisture” in the changing area.
“Eventually in answer to our reminder of 18th October we received an email saying that officers from Monmouthshire County Council (MCC) were in a meeting with the contractors,” said Mr and Mrs Currie.
“After many discussions with the experts it had been decided, ‘by adding the showers to these areas it would mean that the space available for large groups would be reduced and unfortunately, this would ultimately not meet their needs. Therefore, we have decided not to amend the plans to include these.’
“So, effectively, we had waited over eight months for serious feedback on our proposals and then, just a few weeks before work on the swimming pool is to start they raise an issue that they have never mentioned before.
“There is now virtually no time to challenge their proposals, submit an amendment to the planning application to include our proposals, or look at other possible options. We still feel our original proposals are valid regarding acceptable space. We can only conclude that MCC do not provide genuine consultation.”
A meeting at MCC has been scheduled for today (1st November) where the issue will be discussed.