At a Policy Committee meeting on Monday 10 April, Reading Borough Council rejected the CIC proposal for a project to reopen Arthur Hill Pool at least until a permanent replacement at Palmer Park is available. Cllr. Gittings, lead member for leisure, declared he was “sympathetic” to the campaigners but doubted the financial sustainability of the venture. He repeated the claim that it would cost £700,000 to fully repair the facility, which, according to Council records, had been losing £100,000 a year (both figures which the CIC have questioned). “We would”, he said, “be giving dedicated and hard-working people false hope if we delay this application. It is too reliant on grant funding and we know all too well how difficult it is for councils to access these types of funds.” Cllr. Gittings again committed to the opening of a new swimming pool at Palmer Park by 2020.
This is clearly a major setback for the CIC and our goal to reopen Arthur Hill pool and gym. However we continue to investigate other options to saved Arthur Hill as well as other initiatives to provide sport and leisure activities for the community of East Reading. Check this website and our facebook page for updates.
Arthur Hill SOS News 