Pool revamp hopes take a dive as bill doubles

HOPES of a long-awaited revamp for a swimming pool have been dealt a blow after it emerged the repair bill had almost doubled.

A full-scale refurbishment of the Victorian Glenogle Baths is expected to cost at least £5.8 million and is not likely to get underway for another four years.

Fears have been raised that it may mean the pool having to be closed down if it is allowed to fall into decline.

But the council has insisted that enough repairs have been carried out to the fabric of the pool to stay open for the foreseeable future.

Earlier this year, the city council, which owns the Stockbridge complex, was forced to shelve plans to sell it off for housing to help fund a new pool, as well as an alternative idea of allowing houses to be built on a nearby parcel of land to raise the necessary cash.

Plans to spend £2.1m on a full revamp of Glenogle were unveiled more than three years ago and the project won a £350,000 sportscotland grant.

However, cash earmarked for the project in the council's budget was instead used to help pay for the long-awaited £20m refurbishment of the Usher Hall.

It later emerged that the cost of the revamp had soared to £2.9m, the lowest tender for the work that the council could find.

A report for councillors has now stated that no further funding is likely to be available until at least 2011 and officials estimate that by then £5.8m will be needed.

City council leaders have admitted the local authority will have to find the vast majority itself.

Jim Inch, director of corporate services with the council, said: "As Glenogle is a listed building, enquiries will be made to both Historic Scotland and the Heritage Lottery Fund regarding the possibility of grant funding.

"It should also be noted that the money available to these organisations is diminishing due to a reduction in their own funding from the National Lottery."

Mr Inch said the council would explore alternative sources of funding in the meantime, including approaching major employers to help fund a revamp.

He added: "Some minor, but important, interim remedial works have now been carried out to the undercroft supports to the pool surround."

Local Labour councillor Lesley Hinds said: "We should look at imaginative ways of getting the work off the ground as soon as possible."