I hope to bring some clarity and add footnotes to the subject of swimming community that i have been writing about fanatically - since the closure of Brierley Hill Leisure Centre - that used to stand by the mighty Merry Hill Center, an event i watched closely, documented and tried to communicate further by writing poetry and writing some letters, i even jumped in the local river and pulled out a shopping trolley - expressing my wishes to the baboon reporter that he mention the closure of Brierley Hill Baths - which they carefully left out from the final article (The Top Image of this Blog.) smile!
One raving letter i sent regarding swimming community was reproduced, with some pictures, in an on-line magazine - you can read it here if you like? (I have since called down and no longer wish to race anybody, although it was tongue in cheek) Still, the council and the private enterprise business enterprise business complex seem to be slowly removing most of the original swimming baths left dotted around the U.K. But who are they, the staff are not responsible, the M.P's hands are tied, the Newsmedia seems to be the only force moving the MESSAGES around. And so a kind of deadlock ensues between a complex of forces, political, economic - mediated by the news, which for the most part is under the management of their corporate owners, and so the cycle of deciet continues and we loose our swimming pools. This is just one model, maybe i am getting old at 33 and not up with the new schemes regarding leisure center's and swimming facilities?
Still, right now, in Coseley - a very similar scenario is taking place, where a swimming baths has been EARMARKED for closure by the Council, against the wishes of many within the local community, and all within the swimming community (with a 2000 + strong facebook group to boot!) I figure that some writing and questioning are a good idea and a contribution to the others, the others who wonder what the hell is going on in Councils across the U.K shutting down swimming baths. (not to mention the other facilities and public spaces being sold off and out by some gambling M.P's and some council members.
Save Coseley Baths? From what or whom? Are people the problem here or is this a matter of circumstances connected with the economic machine? Is everyone just throwing their hands in the air and saying “The pool must close, sorry, we are so sorry but the pool is not safe, and we (who precisely?) do not have enough money to keep the swimming pool open. For what reason do you not have enough money? Have the voting public any say whatsoever in the way non-local government spends their money? Just what are their values? What comes above a swimming baths in their value-system of public related leisure facilities? Does the author or editor (who exactly) really have the authority to say what will or will not happen? Based on whose sources? And written in whose newspeak lingo? Are the authorities really going to make a final decision before ALL THE DATA HAS ARRIVED, like very bad scientists? Is Coseley swimming baths a PUBLIC baths or a PRIVATE baths?
Who defines these things? How many M.P’s or council members do you know? Do you know if they swim? Do you think that it is important for politicians and councillors to swim? Study philosophy and/or Neuro Linguistic Programming? How much more complicated does it seem to say that COSELEY BATHS IS TO STAY OPEN, and to give the scenarios and reasons WHY the baths must STAY open, opposed to repeating the baited headline COSELEY BATHS WILL CLOSE? Can we expect the newsmedia and the news journalists to be of any help when they are owned by huge private corporations? Why can’t the people of Coseley who want the baths to stay open start a private corporation to privately repair and run the pool? Who brokers the deals between leisure services, councils and wrecking crewes? Enough questions? After all, i do not propose to know any of the answers, unlike the Express and Star and the Council and many others, i mean, to be Frank how many of you are really thinking that the swimming baths will close and be reduced to a pile of rubble?
How many of you readers can build - in your imagination - A vision, yes, a vision of a thriving Coseley swimming baths in 2010 and on into the future, a baths with a new or repaired roof and happy familiar staff and a baths with reduced rates. Surely we must keep optimistic thoughts? Optimistic Thoughts are the key to keeping the swimming pool open in Coseley. Don’t let the newspress and the stinking cheats and liars they panda too influence your reading, your own research and intelligent use of the internet? Don’t let me dictate any more questions to you, write some of your own, just do it, Michael Phelps would want you to. Micheal Phelps will help us. He wants the pool to stay open. Jesus would have wanted Coseley baths to stay open, maybe for anointments and walking practice? Mohammed would want the baths to stay open, maybe to enable cleanliness and clarity of mind? The Rabbi’s would want the swimming baths to remain open, maybe because they have some sense of social justice and fairness? Buddhist Monks and the Dali Lama might like to see the baths stay standing? Shakespeare would want the baths to stay open? Mark My Spits.
Coseley Baths is available for community ASSET transfer? (see Worrel Swiiming Baths). Coseley Baths is not the only baths under threat – find the others? What did other swimming clubs do? Do swimming clubs keep in touch about plots and schemes to close down swimming facilities? Maybe a swimming clubs guide to council attack: a case study, or something like that is in order? “Council bosses say their hands are tied by a structural report.” The noose that ties these hands maybe loosened by an independent structural report. IF THEY CAN WAIT FOR ALL THE DATA TO COME IN. And not make a pre-emptive strike on the baths in haste? The community of Coseley and the greater area of Dudley shall not fight to keep the baths open, or protest that the baths (is) closing, no, we shall celebrate the vision of a healthy swimming baths, throw a party, any party - under the moniker of Save The Swimming Baths.
It’s not just Coseley Baths under threat but many around the country, similar forces pushing and pulling down swimming baths for re-development, often not suitable for club swimming, and for private interest. My advice must be to find the others and gather your data. Internet can be your friend.
I am doing an event in aid of Coseley Baths this Thursday - all proceeds going to (a box with “Coseley Baths” written on it) - i await further instructions of what to do with that money, who and what to send it too.
-- Steve Fly.
--The following was written just hours after Brierley Hill Baths was closed and demolished.
31st December 2005
Brierley Hill, Black Country, West Midlands, England, Europe, Earth. 4.57 PM
I just now literally had the plug pulled on me at my local swimming baths in Brierley Hill. I was also literally "caged in" like a dangerous shark by very large steel barricades while they emptyed the pool. The water drained from the pool either was or was not drained into the local beautiful Brierley Hill cannal.
My thoughts today are with those who will not get to experience the pleasure of swimming at the baths, its a great refreshing feeling. People having good clean fun and also learning an important skill, which someday may even save their life if they fell into the canal, or got into deep water while on holiday in the ocean.
As i was a past fully qualiflyed lifeguard at Stourbridge Crystal leisure center nearby, i fully understand and beg for forgiveness from the Dudley Metropolitan Borough staff slaving away at Brierley Hill swimming baths, and i swear on my Midland district title that this will not happen again. Ever again. Unless they refill and reopen the pool. Sorry for questioning your authority and not following your orders to leave the pool, i also would like to apologize for diving in the shallow end and petting once or twice in the pool some years back. I also apologise for squeezing and massaging some female breasts at Brierley Hill baths, forgive me farther for my sins.
I am a big supporter and interested participant in health and fitness around the black Country, West Midlands and In Great Britain generally. In fact i would like to see the whole world become more able to experience the pleasures and envigerating qualities of such sports as swimming, football, cricket, basketball, track and field etc. I hope in the future that our so called representatives from all nations around the world will factor in the need for investment and facilities for sport and leisure activities.
Today happens to be the last day that Great Britain holds the presidency of the council of the Knu-European Union. To commemorate this historic event in passing i would once again like to draw attention to the closure of our local leisure centre and swimming pool and contrast it, if you will, with the ever expanding economic growth and retail industry that has been born from the corporate capitalist venture called Merry Hill shopping and business center.
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