'Keeping pride and joy closed sends the wrong message'

That was the question, perhaps rhetorical, which I posed during my first visit in many months to a sports hall this week.

I was surrounded by national experts in their chosen fields, dedicated not only to their craft but to training and encouraging the generations that follow, so their response was not a great surprise.

‘It says that Sheffield does not care about sport … calling ourselves the City of Sport is laughable,’ I was told in no uncertain terms.

Former SIV worker Rod Sockett summed up all our disappointments and fears when he clearly documented his ‘shock’ on Tuesday’s letters pages. It was heartfelt correspondence that resonated with all of our readers. The Star has already brought you the heartbreakers of the divers who literally have nowhere else to train in our city. If this goes on much longer they will either take their medal-winning possibilities elsewhere – or give up. Both of those would be disastrous.

Where will Sheffield Sharks play their basketball and how can we raise pride in our incredible city swimming competitions when they can no longer take place? What about the teams who travel from around the world to compete here? Will the money they spend in the Steel City just disappear elsewhere? Most pertinently, that site was loved by generations as Sheaf Valley Baths then generations more as Ponds Forge. We need it there for the fitness, fun and city pride of the generations still to come.

What concerns me most is why this decision was taken. I understand the long standing serious financial difficulties of an organisation that has carried several loss making buildings but I don’t believe keeping this most central site closed makes sense.

And rewinding right back to where we started - whatever is going on in the background that we aren’t privy too - Sheffielders are extremely worried by what is going on and need reassurance that those with power are swinging behind the great attraction.

Not having Ponds Forge now is bad, losing it completely doesn’t bear thinking and the messages are not reassuring. Restore our pride and have a rethink, please.