The decision to transform a popular family swimming pool into a gym has caused upset to people across the Wirral.
The fun pool at Europa Pools, which was home to a number of water slides and a wave pool, has been closed since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
This summer, council officers overruled a move by councillors to reopen it temporarily over the school holidays, saying rising Covid-19 case numbers at the time meant it was not safe on public health grounds.
READ MORE: Gym expanded at the 'expense' of 'unique' swimming pool
Now, the council has expanded the gym at Europa by creating a new ground floor facility that lies on top of the existing fun pool in a ‘temporary’ change of use.
The new expansion, which opened on Thursday, December 2, has been met with uproar from people all across the Wirral who have branded the decision an ‘absolute disgrace’ with some people saying the council should ‘be ashamed’.
Donna Marie Jones said: “It's unfair to residents on Wirral because there are already not enough pools for the public to swim in anymore.
“We do not need more fitness gyms, there's enough about, we need somewhere where families can go together.
“They closed New Brighton baths, they have closed many more since. We don't need more shopping centres or gyms, we need a place where you can teach your babies to swim, somewhere to go to have fun.”
Sharron Lorainne labelled the change a ‘real shame’ and ‘absolute disgrace’.
She said: “Wirral Borough Council ought to be ashamed.
“It just doesn't make sense. We don't need more gyms. All across the Wirral children and their families have loved and valued Europa Pools. It's very very sad.”
These points were mirrored by Lisa Young who thinks the younger generations are being neglected.
She told the ECHO: “I just feel that there are so many gyms opening throughout Wirral but what’s new for the kids. Literally what is the council doing for the kids?
“I understand that the pool wasn’t making much money but if things are that bad how have the council been able to afford all that new equipment?
“Last December Europa was threatened with closure and the kids that use the centre petitioned to save it.
“Will the pool ever open for the kids? Who’s fighting for the young generation?”
On their website, Wirral Council has eight leisure centres accessible to those with Invigor8 memberships, seven of which have a gym offering including Europa Pools.
The borough also has facilities from leading fitness names including PureGym, JD Gyms, Everlast and Total Fitness, among a number of independents.
Many people referenced the nostalgia of Europa Pools, which was built in 1995, and fear that their children will not get the chance to make their own memories in the loved public facility.
Jennifer Davies said: “I get that it's quiet during the week but weekends and all holidays it was always chocker and somewhere we looked forward to going with our eldest boy.
“I've had two boys in the last two years and they will never get to go now.”
Lee Williams, who said Europa Pools was one of the 'highlights' of his youth, said this change will upset 'a lot of people in the borough.
He said: "Me and my friends used to look forward to the half terms where we would get to Europa for 9am every day.
"We'd spend all morning there and that is what we would do every half term - we'd even make friends with other people there who would do the same, then we'd meet up the next half term.
"It was one of my highlights growing up and to know other kids around here won't have that is really upsetting - I think it'll cause devastation to a lot of people."
Jenny Morris added: “It is a damn right shame to be honest.
“Why would they take away the one fun place the kids had to go to keep active for a gym that we already have at least seven of, and that's just the ones I can think of quickly.
“And for the autistic people who I know go there for the disability swims - they loved it as well.
“We needed that swimming pool for the kids to have as much fun as we did, it's just a sad sad situation.”
Many people have complained about the lack of activities available to young people in the area and without Europa Pools they fear for the future generations.
Local man Buzz said he feels the decision will have a ‘massive impact’ on the community.
He told the ECHO: “Wirral Council seems to do less and less for kids and teens ,which is likely why crime in teens has increased.
“There is hardly much for them to do anymore."
Karl Kavanagh has owned a council gym membership for 20 years but even he believes the transformation of Europa Pools into a council gym is a ‘real shame’ and will put his nine year old grandson at a loss.
He said: “I’ve had a council gym membership for 20 years and have seen the standard of facilities go downhill, even the little stuff like having the clocks on time, heating o, decent radio station, gym balls inflated and so on.
“At Europa Pools, the gym upstairs is adequate and the room downstairs is too for classes such as spinning.
“I think shutting down the fun pool with its slides and wave machines is a real shame, the lane pool is only suitable for adults and is often booked out to clubs.
“It was a great facility for the kids in the area and is close enough to walk to for parents on a budget who don’t drive.
“My grandson is one of these local kids who are now going without.”
It is not only the public who are upset with the change of use either, as Cllr Stuart Kelly, a Liberal Democrat, slated last summer’s decision and was also unhappy with the gym plan.
The Oxton councillor thought the gym’s expansion was “not needed”, especially as it was being put in place of a swimming pool which was “unique” in the borough, with its wave machine and slides.
He added: “There are plenty of fitness gyms throughout the Wirral but there was only one fun pool specifically aimed at kids, the fun pool was profitable during holiday periods and I hope that the pool can be restored for next summer's school holidays.”
Defending the gym expansion, Conservative Cllr Helen Cameron, Chair of the Tourism, Communities, Culture and Leisure Committee, said: “This is a really imaginative use of the space at Europa.
“While it is disappointing we have not been able to reopen the leisure pool at sufficient capacity for it to be financially viable, adapting the area to accommodate much-needed additional gym equipment is a really innovative idea and credit goes to the staff who suggested it – and for making this happen so quickly.”
