There was not a cloud to be seen over the Open Air Pool in Abingdon on the day when schools started back after the summer holidays.
The roads were busier than usual at rush hour as more people returned to work after their summer breaks.
June was sunny and warm, but July brought with it rain, and August was cooler than usual. The open-air pool was only open during the school holidays, which were disappointingly overcast. Now that the summer holidays are over and the pool has closed, the sun has come out. There have been some children tempted to swim in the river. That is part of the reason for the outdoor pool.
Thank goodness the outdoor pool is run as a “business”! Them guys know how to make money!
I used the pool several times this summer and loved it, despite the weather! I paid £5.95 a swim but would be happy to pay more for an “out of season” swim. When the current contract between the Council and Better expires, could a new peak/off-peak pricing structure be introduced, to help extend the season?
It’s quite sad, I think at the moment the pool’s opening times are limited due to the cost of heating the pool.
Maybe in future racks of solar panels could be bought and set up and also a small hydro powered water wheel thingy put in the Thames to help with providing electricity to heat the water. That stuff all costs to set up initially though, sure current budget wouldn’t cover it… Perhaps the town could do a fundraiser towards it…
I would use the pool in June and July during school hours certainly, only thing that puts me off is I just want a simple lane swim, I think they do offer that already but it would probably be less crowded during term and so more pleasant. I would still use the pool if the temperature was a couple of degrees cooler in those off-peak months, a lower temperature then would save them money, and I’m sure they’d still get swimmers! I find indoor swimming pools too hot.
Kris, you don’t need to “pay” to heat the pool; the pool can be heated for “free”; possibly even at a PROFIT. It just needs doing.
Heating the pool using het recovery from IT Data centre(s) is the way forwards…. If only we had a load of water we needed heating…and a load of data centres needing cooling…. hmmm…
Actually, I have just realised that there WOULD be a cost…as we will have to have public funds pay for a consultant to come up with ideas and solutions we could otherwise get for free.
hey ho….
Splash-pad open this weekend….well done Team!