Fitness drive to mark re-opening of pool
RESIDENTS living near a newly refurbished swimming pool will be the focus of a pioneering initiative aimed at making them more active.
The joint campaign between Ribble Valley Council and Lancashire Sport was unveiled at the reopening of Ribblesdale Pool, Edisford Road, Clitheroe.
Lancashire Sport is funded by Sport England and the organisation, along with the council, will embark on a research programme aimed at finding out what can be done to make people more active.
Colin Winterbottom, sports development and facilities manager at Ribble Valley Council, said the initiative was one of the first in the UK.
He said: "Research by Sport England looked at the profiles of people around the pool and it identified pockets of residents who don't seem to be as active as other people in the borough.
"We have received £10,000 of funding from Sport England to do this research.
"We will go down to street level and gain information as to why people are not using the facilities on offer, such as the pool or astroturf pitches. We will then try and provide services or activities they want to use."
Details of the project were announced as Ribble Valley Mayor Coun Doreen Taylor officially reopened Ribbledale Pool which has been shut for two months.
Around £150,000 has been spent on replacing an oil boiler with a gas powered unit and new windows have also been fitted.
A new focal point for the pool is a tile mosaic of a water witch designed by Lancaster artist Janette Ireland, with the help of pupils from Edisford Primary School, Clitheroe.
Zoe Fagg (correct), arts and development officer at Ribble Valley Council, said: "Janette took all the ideas from the children and from these drew designs for the tile mosaic at the pool.
"The final design chosen was the Water Witch; several of the children's imaginative fish can be seen swimming amongst the witch's seaweed like hair."
The council ran a competition for some one to name the mosaic and winning entry came from Kai Piercy, 12, Clitheroe, who attends St Augustine's RC High School Billington. He came up with the name Aqua Alice and will be able to swim at the pool for free for the next 12 months.
5:55pm Thursday 27th March 2008
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CommentPosted by: Dave the Rave, Foxup on 6:52pm Thu 27 Mar 08
It would be nice to see some sort of concessionary parking for those Ribble Valley residents who don't live in Clitheroe. Or a clear indication which bus stops near the pool.
It would be nice to see some sort of concessionary parking for those Ribble Valley residents who don't live in Clitheroe. Or a clear indication which bus stops near the pool.
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