Commowealth closure threat to Paralympic medallist's club

Published on Saturday 8 November 2008 10:05

A SWIMMING club that trained a Paralympic medal winner has warned it could become homeless because of the refurbishment of the Royal Commonwealth Pool.

The RCP will close in July 2009 for a minimum of two years and swimming groups have been offered the use of school pools while they are displaced.

But Warrender Baths Club, which runs regular sessions for members at Leith Academy, is worried it could be pushed out as children's lessons take priority.

Derek Small, senior vice-president at the club, said:

"To accommodate the Edinburgh Leisure lessons, the council is proposing to use facilities at community pools such as Leith Academy. Warrender has for many years used that pool, so we are aggrieved about the possibly of being turfed out.

"Our major concern is that our top two squads train at Leith Academy and have done for years. If we got moved out of there, we would struggle to find somewhere else with suitable facilities.

"A swimmer in one of the squads that would be impacted by the council's proposal is Sean Fraser, who won bronze in the Paralympics in Beijing.

"Our view is that there are other school pools that could be used for the lessons. We feel they are taking the easy option at the expense of swimming clubs."

Sean, who has cerebral palsy, took bronze in an exciting 100m backstroke final, and competed in the 100m breaststroke, 100m front crawl and 50m front crawl for Team GB at the Paralympics.

The 18-year-old from Loanhead, who took up swimming at the age of eight, finished at Lasswade High School shortly before heading to Beijing.

Sean was honoured by Edinburgh City Council at a civic reception in the Capital last month.

Having moved to Warrender Baths Club in the Capital just over a year ago, he is now coached by Laurel Bailey and trains up to eight times a week.

But the future of his training at Leith Academy is now uncertain, with the school primed to offer a home to swimmers displaced by the closure of the RCP.

Education leader, Councillor Marilyne MacLaren, said: "We are still negotiating with Edinburgh Leisure over the amount of pool use it will require in our schools.

"Meetings are due next week, following which we will consult with everyone involved.

"Although a certain amount of flexibility will be required, I am confident we will be able to accommodate all parties."

As well as swimming clubs, about 15 private companies currently use the city's school swimming pools to provide 80 hours of lessons per week to more than 5000 children.

Among those who will have to find alternative facilities during the RCP's 37 million revamp are 42 school swimming classes.