Resources pooled... so Shaftesbury is back in the swim (From Bournemouth Echo)

Resources pooled... so Shaftesbury is back in the swim

7:00am Friday 3rd July 2009 in

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SHAFTESBURY is celebrating the reopening of its swimming pool – resurrected in just six weeks by a massive community effort.

The pool at Barton Hill closed in May after the Shaftesbury Community Pool Company, which ran it, went into liquidation.

But the facility has been rescued by not-for-profit company Shaftesbury Leisure Ltd (SLL) – with the help of organisations, businesses and residents of the town.

The directors of SLL, businessmen Lionel Boyle and David Shepherd, tourist information centre manager David Taylor, and county councillor David Milstead, led the initiative, securing thousands of pounds to fund improvements and running costs for the pool, which reopened this week.

Hotelier David Shepherd told the Echo they couldn’t stand to see the facility go to waste – it had only been open for just over a year after a £50,000 overhaul, accomplished by the previous community group which managed it.

He said: “It seemed such a shame that all the hard work and effort and money from community groups and organisations was to be lost in such a short space of time.

“We thought it was worth saving, so that’s what we’ve set about doing.”

The community has raised £7,000, North Dorset District Council has put in £15,000, and Shaftesbury Town Council has so far injected £15,000 towards the running costs.

Mr Shepherd added: “A raft of local businesses have contributed free of charge their time, labour, help and expertise to get this done – and we can’t thank them enough.”

He said the pool was something the community could be proud of, and a facility which, he hoped, would now be sustainable for the future.

The pool, complete with refurbished changing facilities and toilets and new showers, a new reception and visitors’ area, opened on Wednesday and a reception for all those who contributed was held in the evening.

The pool is now running a five-day “swim for a £1” promotion.