The swimming pool in March needs a serious makeover or should be knocked down and rebuilt if the town is to stay ahead in the leisure game, according to a councillor.
The George Campbell is a matter of “serious concern” for councillor Jan French who said the council needed to make a decision quickly on whether to make do and mend or plough hundreds of thousands of pounds into a totally new building.
“I attended a swimming gala recently and was saddened to see the state of the pool,” she said.
“There were many swimmers from around the county and the pool looked a mess.”
In a meeting of the overview and scrutiny panel councillors heard how a new leisure complex would cost £1.6m but would need a proper business plan drawing up in order to look at how to raise funds, possibly through the private sector.
“March has been deemed a major growth area, there is significant development going on, we need to make sure we have leisure facilities which reflect that,” Mrs French said.
A new pool should be 50 metre instead of 25 metre so that it is a proper Olympic size facility, she added.
Last year the Chatteris Leisure centre was treated to a £1.3 million gym and dance studio makeover and three years ago The Manor Leisure Centre had a new group exercise studio, modern changing rooms and a multi-functional main hall built.
The swimming pool also benefitted from new flooring, tiered spectator seating and state-of-the-art equipment controlling the heating and water quality at a cost of £890,000.
The Hudson in Wisbech was also treated to a total makeover three years ago bringing it up to date.
Mrs French said: “It is time March leisure facilities were looked at.”
The plea comes despite survey figures in an overview and scrutiny committee report that reckons 87% of customers are satisfied with Fenland’s leisure centres.
However, Mrs French said the figures needed breaking down to poll customer satisfaction at the George Campbell.
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