Work to start on new swimming pool

Friday 25 July 2008

The new pool, on the former Oaklands site, is expected to be completed in Autumn 2009 and will replace the out-dated Edmund Wilson Pool.

The overall development will cost in excess of £6m and will include:

• a new 25m, six lane pool
• learner pool
• hydrotherapy pool
• changing village
• creche

The current gym will double in size and will be equipped to offer over 60 stations of the latest fitness equipment and the development will include a new café and an extended car park with over 200 parking spaces.

The new pool will also have a number of 'green' credentials, including rain water harvesting and solar panels on the roof to heat the swimming pool water. The main heating source for the pool will be provided by hoval boilers fuelled by wood pellets.

The new leisure centre will be York's largest publicly accessible leisure venue and will attract over 400,000 users each year.

The new facilities will complement the existing facilities of the sports hall, climbing centre, synthetic pitch, dance studio, ICT suite, meeting room, tennis courts and grass pitches.

Oaklands sports centre will remain open throughout the construction of the new pool.