A COMMUNITY swimming pool paid for by South Yorkshire residents will shut in two weeks despite a campaign to keep it open.
Dinnington is among seven Rotherham pools being axed as part of a £35 million shake-up of leisure services.
Dinnington and Aston will be the first pools to shut when a new pool at Aston-cum-Aughton comes into use. More than 1,000 people signed a p
etition calling for the Dinnington pool to be retained.
They said the pool was paid for by Dinnington people after a big fundraising effort more than 40 years ago and should stay in the hands of the local community.
The pool, in the grounds of Dinnington Comprehensive, was opened following an agreement between the old West Riding County Council, Dinnington High School and surrounding primary schools.
Retired headteacher Wilf Slack, who led the campaign to keep the pool open, said: "The pool was built specifically for local schoolchildren to learn to swim. It only became a public pool in the late 1970s when the West Riding had become Rotherham Council and parents were not consulted.
"There was no official handover and it was done very cloak and dagger. If people are raising money for a specific purpose and that purpose changes, it is only right they are consulted."
Karl Battersby, the council's strategic director, environment and development services, said: "We appreciate that some people have strong views about pool closures, but the decision was not taken lightly.
"The decision was made while loking at what facilities are available across the borough.
"While residents of Dinnington will have to travel further to a swimming pool they will benefit from much better facilities."
What do you think? Add your comments below.
READ MOREMain news indexYour letters.
FeaturesMore Rotherham newsMore Doncaster newsMore Barnsley newsCheck out the very latest on South Yorkshire's roads - including live traffic cameras on Sheffield's commuter routes - with our Traffic sectionLatest sport. The full article contains 335 words and appears in Sheffield Star newspaper.
