Swimming pool reopens after £4.25m investment
8 minutes ago
Ollie Samuels
BBC News, North West
A swimming pool in Lancashire, described by swimmers as "brilliant", has reopened after £4.25m of council funding.
The Ribblesdale Pool in Clitheroe had been shut for six months for what Simon Hore, Leader of Ribble Valley Borough Council called a "significant refurbishment".
Richenda Ratcliffe has been swimming regularly at the pool for the last 35 years, something she said "benefits her life fully" as it helps her manage her arthiritis.
The pool, home to the Clitheroe Dolphins swimming team, has been open since 9 November, with a reopening ceremony planned for Saturday.
Richenda was taught to swim by her father over 70 years ago, and she fondly remembers "diving for things in the water, swimming through his legs, you name it"
She described swimming as "joyful", and she said "I thank him every day for the fact he taught me to swim"
Cllr Hore said although visitors may think it doesn't look like £4.25m of refurbishment, the centre now has "state of the art equipment" including new heating and filtration systems.
He said it was an important project as he didn't want Ribblesdale to join the "hundreds ofswimming pools that have closed down" across the country.
The council said it did consider charging swimmers for the grand reopening event on Saturday the same rate as when the pool initially opened in 1972 - 30p.
"But we're making it free instead", said Cllr Hore.
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