The outdoor pool in Abingdon has stayed closed this year. The Covid-19 pandemic has shortened the outdoor season and only the indoor pool in Abingdon has reopened now that leisure centres have been allowed to reopen.
I met Paul Gustafson in town today and he said that other places have managed to open their outdoor pools. Why not Oxfordshire?
The Abingdon outdoor pool is on the banks of the River Thames and Paul said the river is not a safe or clean place to swim. He said that people are using the river in ignorance, and putting their health at risk. Weil’s disease, spread by rat urine in the water, can destroy a person’s health. Boats are finding it difficult to reach places to empty their toilets properly this year, and more human effluent can be seen in the River.
A great shame, but it was never going to be viable – takes several weeks to get the pool ready, let alone recruit staff. Have so missed it, but roll on next year (hopefully).
It is indeed a shame.
Out of interest, who is Paul Gustafson?
I have been using the river regularly (kayaking) and have had no ill effects and wonder what the risk truely is? I am certain we will be able to easily find a widely published statistic on the increased cases of illness directly attributable to river bathing, in the coming weeks… 100s and 100s at Portmeadow. 1000s and 1000s more people using rivers and streams nationwide….one assumes it’s a pandemic waiting in the wings.
I’m also curious as to the huge and insurmountable issues that occured to mean the water park could also not open (when permitted to do so by Boris)?
A few years ago when the play area was going to be redeveloped, the person responsible for the provision of these facilities at “The Veil” was asked “pleased can you make sure the crazy golf remains or is developed too”. I believe that the person who had their finger on that particular pulse’s reply was; “oh, I didn’t know we had crazy golf”.
We lost the crazy golf (despite its growing following).
I’m not personally a big crazy golf fan, but it would be heartening to know whether this level of competence has been or hasn’t been employed regarding things such as the water park…
Often it feels, in Abingdon, that The Veil looks for reasons NOT to do things when we pay them to look for reasons TO do things….
The outdoor pool is a fantastic asset to the town, as is that redeveloped play park and, as well as many other things, sets Abingdon positively apart from A-n-other Oxfordshire town. I just wish it wasn’t operated by ‘Better’…
What’s that saying … “BETTER the devil you know”…
Sprinkle some breadcrumbs in Margaret Brown Garden, sit still and watch the rats come out. I’ve also seen little children play on the grass just after the rats. I would not be surprised if Weill’s Disease was in the Thames at Abingdon.
Keep safe – don’t congregate
How do you think all the boats that never move empty their toilets, especially all the ones illegally moored at Oxford?