An architect has spoken out about her plans to renovate the long-neglected Lido at Eastville Park.
The disused Victorian Lido hasn't been used as a pool since the Second World War and now looks overgrown and forgotten about.
However, local architect Shankari Raj has ambitious for the space - but these still are at the initial stage of the process, still looking at the different options.
Ms Raj is looking at creating a 25m pool with changing rooms, a sauna, a cafe, a gym and an event space that is hireable for the community.
"I started looking at this about a year ago after friends and local residents kept bringing it up," the 37-year-old said. "It is such a shame.
"The north east corner of the park has a lot of potential but it is very underused.
"In the park, there is nowhere to go to the toilet or a cafe. "
The Cardiff University lecturer said Eastville Park was one of Bristol's biggest parks - with up to 700 people running in the park every Saturday for the parkrun - but had no facilities.
The lido hadn't been used as a pool since the Second World War, she continued, and there was the opportunity to create a beautiful space for everyone to use.
"The population of Bristol is growing rapidly but the city is under-resourced," she added. "The city is not prepared for the growth that has happened."
Having look at studies of other pools across the country, Ms Raj - of Nudge Group, in Portland Square - estimates up to 60,000 every year could use the space.
"Bristol doesn't have an outdoor swimming pool that is public, but swimming in cold water is good for your health and wellbeing," said Ms Raj, a swimmer herself. "It would mean local schools could use it during the day.
"I swim myself and I find it very meditative. It is really good for your health and your bones - even at an old age you can swim and it is not damaging.
"You can really switch off, it is like doing yoga or meditation."
The architect - who lives in the Eastville area - acknowledged the area is a small wildlife haven at the moment and said it would be necessary to increase biodiversity in another area of the park to make up for the loss.
Ms Raj said they were currently doing the business appraisal to look at the financial viability of the project, which will take up to nine months.
The project has been developed with the help of Cardiff University's architecture students and Nudge Group.
Several organisations had already come out in support of the project, she continued, such as the National Lottery or Triodos Bank.
