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Coventry's 50m Olympic pool recommended to be closed Proposal to close Coventry's 50m Olympic pool approved
(35 minutes later)
A proposal to close the only 50m swimming pool in the West Midlands has been recommended for approval later. Proposals to close the only 50m swimming pool in the West Midlands have been approved by council bosses.
Coventry City Council's cabinet is discussing the Fairfax Street sport centre's future. The sport centre in Fairfax Street, Coventry looks set to be replaced by a £37m leisure centre - featuring a cheaper-to-run 25m pool.
The authority wants to replace the building with a new £37m leisure centre - featuring a cheaper-to-run 25m pool. Coventry City Council's cabinet approved the plans at a meeting earlier despite a gathering of more than 60 protesters outside the council house.
More than 60 people gathered outside the council house earlier to oppose the move, waving banners saying Save Our Swimming and Don't Trash our Splash. The decision still needs to be ratified by full council.
'Losing its soul' Coventry Swimming Club programme manager and former Olympic swimmer Jo Deakins, who helped organise the protest, said she was disappointed with the result.
Coventry Swimming Club programme manager Jo Deakins said: "It's very disappointing. "It's not the outcome we wanted," she said.
"While other towns and cities across the country are trying to find ways to improve their facilities and get bigger pools, Coventry must be one of the only places doing the opposite." "But the council said it had looked at all ways of keeping the pool open and has been unable to find a solution fair to tax payers.
Mrs Deakins said the proposed new leisure centre would be unsuitable for competitions because it featured no areas for spectators. She said this could ultimately force the club to close. "We will regroup and try to work with the council to see how we can move things forward."
"We know it's got to be cost-effective, but we believe you can build something that can be profitable," she said. More than 11,000 people signed petitions calling for the Olympic-sized pool to be retained.
Closure of the pool would leave the West Midlands without a 50m pool until one opens at the University of Birmingham in 2016. Mrs Deakins said the pool had produced swimmers including Lutterworth's Lucy Hall, who competed in the Commonwealth Games, and Redditch's Abigail Humphreys, who recently represented Great Britain at the national championships in Portugal.
Among those protesting was office worker and mother-of-two Rachel Mander who said: "The pool is a feature of the city. There is nothing else like it in the area."Among those protesting was office worker and mother-of-two Rachel Mander who said: "The pool is a feature of the city. There is nothing else like it in the area."
Mother-of-one Sharon Newport said the pool had been "instrumental to the success of swimmers across the Midlands."Mother-of-one Sharon Newport said the pool had been "instrumental to the success of swimmers across the Midlands."
Meanwhile Stella Johnson, 68 and from city, said: "When I heard what they were planning I thought 'my life is coming to an end; I love swimming. Meanwhile Stella Johnson, a 68-year-old grandmother from Coventry, said: "When I heard what they were planning I thought 'my life is coming to an end'. I love swimming."
"I also thought it would lead to people having to make appointments to use the replacement pool because there would not be enough room." Coventry City Council has said its new leisure centre will have a water park with slides, a fitness suite, climbing wall, squash courts and a spa.
A number of people have written to the BBC to express their anger over the proposals including Dan Jones who said "I really feel the great city of Coventry is losing another massive part of its soul." The Fairfax Street centre is due to close and the new facility in New Union Street open in July 2019.
The city council has said its new leisure centre will have a water park with slides, a fitness suite, climbing wall, squash courts and a spa. Another 50m pool is due to open at the University of Birmingham in 2016.
The plan was drawn up after a six-week public consultation, the authority said. Councillors agreed to work with Coventry Swimming Club to explore the possibility of getting a capital grant from Sport England to maintain the existing 50m pool.
Kevin Maton, cabinet member for business, enterprise and employment, said: "It's not the case that the council's not interested in sport because we're investing in new facilities all the time. The question is 'how can we afford to do it?'"Kevin Maton, cabinet member for business, enterprise and employment, said: "It's not the case that the council's not interested in sport because we're investing in new facilities all the time. The question is 'how can we afford to do it?'"