Swimming Pool closure round up 2013

I notice the same cycle over and over again in the UK, swimming pools closed due to structural costs way beyond what the council can afford (so they say) all over the UK i have seen the same process, first in my own back yard in Brierley Hill, and Coseley baths. But i now see the same argument, the same strategy and bullshit double-speak from the M.P's, councilors and even some of the groups, and people within the groups formed to stand up to the proposed closure and try to SAVE the pool.

It's a sad state of affairs in the UK for swimming and many other water sports that are impossible without the facilities. The sickly relationship between private business and Government muscle in the UK can be tracked and analysed by reducing the focus down to leisure centers, how they spread like supermarkets such as Tesco, and wipe out whatever maybe in its way.

To anybody reading this who is dealing with such scenarios at the moment, my best advice is to get an independent 'estimation' about the structural faults, or the work required to bring the facility up to scratch (according to sticky council regulations) as i have found the costs are usually massive over estimations baed on private contractor work.

One day, a community may build a not-for-profit, or community co-op capable of building and maintaining a leisure center, and/or swimming pool. Good luck, best wishes, Steve 'fly' Pratt.

p.s Here are some recent news clips to support my claims.
 

"A LAST-ditch bid has been launched to save Haslingden Pool by a group of residents who want to take it over from the council.
The Friends of Haslingden Baths, a community group look- ing to take control of the East Bank Avenue centre, are encouraging residents to show how great the need is for the facility by signing a support petition. More than 8,000 people signed a petition in 2011 calling on Rossendale Council to go ahead with a proposed revamp. But the campaigners fear this will be deemed out-of-date by the council which plans to sell off the building unless an interested party with a viable business model is found before September."

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/10566384.Residents_launch_bid_to_prevent_closure_of_Haslingden_swimming_pool/

The pool has ‘concrete cancer’ and needs repairs which would cost around £1.5million, an amount Rossendale Council says it cannot afford.

“Owing to the deteriorating condition of Minsthorpe Pool and the costs to carry out the major repairs needed at £1.2m, it is recommended that the pool be permanently closed and future provision be considered alongside wider review into all our leisure facilities. I understand the importance of people being able to enjoy healthy and active lifestyles. However, owing to continuing financial constraints placed upon us we have to review all our services, including leisure, and cabinet faces some difficult decisions.”

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/latest-news/top-stories/wakefield-pool-closed-as-1-2m-repairs-are-ruled-out-1-5888179

"If you don't have good facilities in the city then you don't have the ability to raise great swimmers.
"I'm very frustrated," added Mr Richardson.
Under the proposals, the Springhead golf course is also earmarked for closure and the council is considering setting up a not-for-profit company to run the city's leisure services on its behalf.
A spokeswoman for the council said the proposals were yet to be discussed and would go out to public consultation, but could not give further details.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-23576382

Olympic 2012 contact list for ads agencies

5.3 Million people,
what a great Marketing ploy,
are Mcdonalds and Coca-Cola still on-board?


"A key component of the London 2012 digital legacy has been secured", the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games has said, after awarding the right to use its customer database to three non-profit development agencies.
Two sports promotion bodies – Sport England and Sport UK – will be able to use LOCOG's contact database, which currently holds 5.3 million contacts, to promote sporting events and activities. It will also be available to London and Partners, "the official promotional organisation for London".
Anyone on the database will be given the option to opt out. If they chose to stay on the list, they will receive newsletters "about sport, volunteering and culture ... across the UK", LOCOG said.

LOCOG said it worked with the Information Commissioner's Office "full compliance in data protection regulations covering the transfer". A spokesperson for the ICO said that it had advised LOCOG that it needed to receive "informed consent" for the data to be reused.

"I am delighted that we'll be able to continue to keep these amazing people informed and involved in the legacy of the games," said LOCOG chair Lord Sebastian Coe in a statement. "The group of organisations taking this fan base forward are at the epi-centre of sport, culture and volunteering so I am confident they will continue to keep the public in the loop and deliver great opportunities for everyone to enjoy over the next 10 years."
-- http://www.information-age.com/technology/information-management/123456856/contact-database-is--key-component--of-2012-olympics-legacy

Gold Gold and Gold

Some sports people will stop at nothing to get GOLD.  Man, they're even worse than some of the international bankers and Royals who are obsessed--to the fringe of insanity and a danger to others--with GOLD. Status, elitism and patriotism.

The many, of course do not have such pretentions, but instead enjoy a GOOD game, a fair game, easy, relaxed, shared fun, even with a little competition to build with the co-operation. Unlike the sporting elite who as we have seen recently with characters like Lance Armstrong, lie, cheat and generally are not the kinds of sporting sportspeople they are painted as, by the corporate sponsors (products) and government sponsors.

Ah, anbody fancy a game?

love, fly

"There was an "increasingly desperate emphasis on gold", the report said, and morale dropped as the games unfolded without the anticipated medal haul.

Management appeared unprepared to tackle the absence of success, it said, leaving swimmers feeling "undefended, alone, alienated".
"Swimmers described these games as the 'Lonely Olympics' and the 'Individual Olympics'," the report said, adding that the lack of cohesion meant that poor behaviour went unchecked.
"Some individual incidents of unkindness, peer intimidation, hazing and just 'bad form' as a team member that were escalated to personal coaches were not addressed," it said.
"There were enough culturally toxic incidents across enough team members that breached agreements (such as getting drunk, misuse of prescription drugs, breaching curfews, deceit, bullying) to warrant a strong, collective leadership response that included coaches, staff and the swimmers."--http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21501881

Charlie Brooker and Weekly Wipe Sum up 2012 Olympic pathetics

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/aug/05/olympics-better-than-looked-on-tin