CAMPAIGNERS were celebrating today after councillors voted to keep Padiham Pool open and carry out a major refurbishment.
Fears over the pool's future were sparked following a review of the borough's three main centres -- the Thompson Centre, Padiham Leisure Centre and Gannow Pool -- by Burnley Council.
But at last night's meeting of Burnley Council executive, members voted to give the facility a reprieve and invest in its refurbishment as part of a £9-£10million leisure revamp.
Councillors confirmed the Thompson Centre in Burnley will face the bulldozers and be replaced by a new town centre leisure centre, possibly on the St Peter's car park site, while Gannow Baths will shut.
The councillors' decision to keep Padiham Pool came after more than 8,000 people signed a petition, launched in October, to ensure that the town kept a swimming facility. The plea was backed by the Keep Padiham in the Swim campaign in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph.
Carol Stinton, 62, who regularly swims at the leisure centre and was among those fighting to keep it open, said: "This is absolutely great news and its good that the council were prepared to listen to the people of Padiham. I'd like to thank the Lancashire Evening Telegraph for its support."
Kevin Young, editor of the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, said: "This is a victory for people power and common sense. A town like Padiham needs and deserves its own swimming pool."
Mark Shaw, of the People of Padiham Action Group, which helped organise the campaign to keep the pool, said: "I am overwhelmed. This is great news for the people of Padiham."
Burnley MP Peter Pike said: "This is a sensible compromise. The pool is not a bad facility and this gives a realistic and affordable facility for the people of Padiham and Burnley."
The three centres currently cost the council £780,000 a year in subsidy and are in decline in terms of user numbers and appearance. Maintaining them with no improvements would cost £8million over the next 20 years.
Built in 1974, the Thompson Centre was named after William Thompson, nephew of Burnley industrialist James Witham Thompson, who donated £500,000 to the £1.65m building costs. Its demise has been described as the end of an era by Peter Pike MP.
The fate of the centre was sealed when a public consultation completed last month revealed residents voted overwhelmingly for its demolition and for a new sports centre to be built in its place.
Last year councillors agreed in principle to pull down St Peter's car park after a report revealed it could cost more than £1million to repair. The option preferred by the council would attract outside funding from Sport England and the National Lottery, as well as possible private investment.
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