SWIMMERS at Saddleworth Pool and Leisure Centre have been left frustrated after adult-only sessions were completely removed from the timetable.
Oldham Community Leisure (OCL) introduced their new schedule for the centre in Uppermill in September but has no longer included the eight hours of sessions for just adults to use the 25m pool.
Instead, public swim sessions have been increased, offering some laned areas when there is sufficient pool space for those who want to do lengths.
The timetable now features two hours of specific lane swims at 8am – 9am at weekends along with swimming lessons for children and adults.
But disappointed swimmer Ed Stacey, from Greenfield, who has been using the pool for two years, said the omission of adult-only sessions has left him reluctant to use the facilities.
In a complaint to OCL, he wrote: “When I was at Saddleworth Pool six people complained to the reception desk in the few minutes I was there.
“The early morning weekday sessions still work well but the former adult only/lane swimming sessions in the day where they have started to rope off half the pool are the worst of all worlds.
“One half of the pool is overcrowded without enough room to accommodate swimmers of different speeds and strokes. In the other half, leisure users, mothers and children can’t swim widths or use any but a small area of their half of the pool beyond the shallow end.
“What should be a relaxing, enjoyable opportunity to exercise turns into a fraught tense time trying to avoid injury.
“I fully support sport for all and welcome the provision for families and children, which I felt was extremely well-balanced in the timetable offered until this recent change.”
Keen swimmer Michael Booth also expressed concerns over the loss of sessions and space for visitors who want more strenuous lane swimming.
He said: “These people are possibly the most frequent users of the pool but are now being dissuaded from making full use of it.
“I don’t imagine the management would envisage opening the studio and gym facilities ‘to the public’ in an unrestricted fashion or, if it did, there would be an outcry.
“I know of no public pool – after 15 years of travelling the country on business and using many pools – that does not have segregated swimming sessions for different types of user.
“The new system at Saddleworth is at variance with normal practice, which is customary because it is the best way to encourage access while preserving health and safety.
“I think the changes should be reconsidered very quickly indeed. There is a simple and easy way to encourage greater use of the pool – open it more often, for more people.”
A spokesperson for OCL said any changes to the timetable were advertised around the site one month prior to being introduced.
She added: “OCL is committed to ensuring the products and services we offer are accessible and offer value for money.
“We have many different users groups to accommodate in our pool programming and it is important we try to give as many of these access to pool time at various times of the day.
“In response to customer comments and enquiries about the lack of pool space for under 16s and families, we have decided to trial a more open approach to the pool programming.
“Instead of some of the Adults Only swims we are going to trial a new style of Public Swim. The sessions will be suitable all ages and abilities.
“In these sessions where there is sufficient pool space a laned area will be provided for those who want to do lengths.
“We anticipate this will allow more people access to our pools and help to deliver our promise of ‘A community more active, more often’.”
Please bring back the adult lane swim because I certainly will not entertain trying to lane swim in a crowded area it just won’t work and if it continues I won’t be back.