Yearsley Swimming Pool reopens after £900,000 refurbishment (From York Press)

Yearsley Swimming Pool reopens after £900,000 refurbishment

12:24am Tuesday 30th October 2007

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A REVAMPED York pool is making a huge splash with swimmers after being out of action for almost four months.

Yearsley Swimming Pool opened its doors to the public yesterday for the first time since July following a £900,000 refurbishment programme to safeguard its future.

Its 16-week closure - first revealed by the Press earlier this year - allowed the site's roof and wall cladding, ventilation system and shower facilities to be replaced, its tank to be cleaned and the pool area to be retiled.

That left York with only one municipal pool during the summer and the autumn half-term break, but Yearsley users say its new look has been worth waiting for.

"We're astonished that it's now as good as it is and delighted it has reopened on schedule - it would have been a real blow if it had been delayed," said Eleanor Dove, 86, of Hopgrove, who has been swimming at Yearsley for decades and used to run the Nestlé Pensioners Swimming Club.

"People have had wonderful times here for many years and it's become like a social club for us, so everybody has been so eager to have it back."

Mother-of-two Vicky Japes, 36, of Osbaldwick, took her sons Calum, seven, and five-year-old Andrew for a first-day visit and said: "Calum says he's delighted because the new handrails mean he doesn't have to crawl into the water any more.

"It's brighter, cleaner, warmer and much better for bringing children along to. The whole place needed sprucing up and it's made a great impression on people."

The work has also seen new lighting installed and measures introduced to keep the pool cleaner, as well as making it more energy-efficient.

Pool manager Simon Luck said the finishing touches were still being added at midnight on Sunday, just hours before reopening.

"It's fantastic for the city to have it open again," he said.

"The pool was past its sell-by date and would probably have had to close within six months if this work hadn't been done. Now it has a new lease of life which will hopefully last for at least 25 years.

"I'm amazed by how many people have been back here on the first day, and delighted by their reaction."

Fiona Evans, of the Yearsley Pool Action Group, said: "The amount of work done in just 16 weeks is marvellous and means the pool is now ready to serve future generations.

"When you see regular users being reunited here, it makes you realise this is much more than just a swimming pool - it's at the heart of a community."

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