On the very first sitting day of this year, the Scottish Parliament debated a very important public petition on access to swimming pools. And rightly so, because this is such an important national issue and one that is of particular interest to people in Perth given the uncertain future of leisure facilities here in the Fair City.
I have already written about the appalling plans for the replacement of Perth Leisure pool in previous columns. The plan for its replacement at Thimblerow is deeply flawed and I would again urge Perth and Kinross Council to rethink the plans. So many people come from far and wide to use the current Perth Leisure pool because it is family friendly and allows children, parents and grandparents to share joyous memories together: it is simply a perfect introduction to swimming for youngsters. This is without mentioning that the discredited plan does not even include onsite parking despite being located in the middle of Perth.
During the debate, I raised several figures that underscore the precarious future of swimming in Scotland. There are 295 public swimming pools in Scotland, and of these, 122 are over 38 years old (the average lifespan of a pool). On current trends, that means the potential to lose over 150 pools by 2040, and we will have to replace these at the rate of 4 pools per year to maintain the current level of provision. This, of course, requires a significant level of investment and reallocation of resources, but - as is the reality here in Perth - building pools alone is not enough, they must be pools people will actually use.
The public demand action. In a poll, 9 in 10 Scots said they believe the closure of swimming pools is bad for their local community. 13% of adults swim regularly making it the highest participation sport after multi gym and weight training and it is the most popular participation sport for those with disabilities due to its suitability for those with reduced mobility.
Additionally, Swimming pools are important for health and wellbeing and promote a healthy lifestyle. Given Scotland’s abundance of lochs, rivers, reservoirs and beaches, and the high level of accidental drownings, there is a key safety aspect as well. They are also community hubs that host those at both the elite and grassroots levels.
I wholeheartedly endorse this public petition, and, as Convener of the Cross Party Group on Sport, I will continue to support Scottish Swimming’s calls for maintaining current pool provision and for all children to receive swimming lessons at school.
