23 days until the opening

White pool turns Blue
June 16th sees the opening of the new outdoor swimming pool after a complete rebuild. The new pool has been filled with water and the heating system turned on to make sure it is working before the opening. The Abingdon Herald had a headline last week about the pool looking anaemic with just the white tiles showing, but it looks OK now that it is filled with water.
White pool turns Blue
Beyond the blue pool flows the River Thames where two red barges are moored, and beyond them a meadow of buttercups.

5 thoughts on “23 days until the opening

  1. Hester

    Such a lovely place to swim – the changing rooms used to be dire but hopefully better now – looking forward to the re-opening. Abingdon is very lucky to have all the Abbey Meadow facilities.

    Reply
  2. Chris John

    I hope they upgrade the fencing around the pool to stop the local delinquents climbing the fence. Someone will drown one day!

    Reply
  3. Chrissie

    @Hester I agree – the changing rooms weren’t up to much previously, but hopefully will be much better with the revamp.

    The pool is looking great.

    Looking forward to some evening swims soon.

    Reply
  4. Simon

    You make a good point Chris. 25 years ago, in the summer months, that used to be the thing. Stickies would kick out at 2pm and then a load of people, generally drunk, made their way to the pool. The fence was a joke and very easy to get over. At times there would 40-50 people in the pool at 3am!! It was a good laugh but very dangerous. A miracle no one drowned!

    Reply
  5. Peter Harbour

    50 years of the pool!

    Yes folks, the Abbey Meadow outdoor pool was last upgraded using drawings issued by the Borough Engineer (Keith Rathbone was his name I think) in 1967. It is reasonable to assume the pool was commissioned in 1968, just 50 years ago. How shall we celebrate this half century?

    The pool was threatened in 1980 when the first STOP (Save the Outdoor Pool) campaign won the councils over, the Town Council took over some of the cost and then all was well until 2005 when it closed for a year, but again the second STOP campaign persuaded many to come to its aid. Unfortunately a third STOP campaign was need in 2014 and to everyone’s surprise, the Vale Council stepped in to fund (using our money of course) a new pool within a pool.

    In common with many I taught my children and one or two grandchildren to swim there. We also founded Abingdon Swimming Club at the pool and operated there in summer only until the Old Gaol pool opened about 1976. There are two Abingdon Swimming Clubs now but Abbey Meadow is where they originated.

    Let us look forward to a great century festival in 2068 at the Abingdon Lido, when today’s kids can tell the Town how it was in the old days. These are the Good Old Days. See you all at the pool.

    Reply

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