Reasons to be cheerful
It’s pretty cold and dark out there, so we thought we’d share some positive and hopeful news to see if we can lift everyone’s spirits.
Since we launched our new website back in the autumn, the People’s Pool community has grown hugely, including hundreds of new sign-ups to this newsletter. So a very warm welcome to the newcomers, and a massive thank-you to everyone who took the time to answer our mini-survey.
It was great to see that most of you would want to use the Pool regularly year-round, and your answers to questions about how and why you’d use the Pool, and the other facilities and activities you’d like to see on site, will be really helpful as we move forward with developing plans.
The best thing was reading your many reasons for wanting to see a new People’s Pool on Merseyside: -
From the sheer joy of swimming outdoors…
“Outdoor swimming is an amazing experience … not only great exercise but fun … very social and leaves you feeling upbeat and alive. “
“Having the opportunity to do this regularly would be amazing.”
…to the unrivalled health and wellbeing benefits…
“A mixture of fresh air and swimming is a genuine tonic for health.”
“The physical and emotional health benefits of this will be massive.”
From fond memories of Merseyside’s lost lidos…
“Spent wonderful summers there in my childhood and teens.”
“Playing in the fountains, scaring yourself silly on the high board…”
…to hope for a future filled with shared joy…
“We all really need something great to look forward to, a place for everyone to meet and enjoy!”
“There is a definite demand for such a joyful and beneficial resource!”
“The Peoples Pool would be an absolutely fabulous asset.”
The survey is still open if you haven’t had a chance to share your thoughts with us yet yet.
We’re also delighted to share some fantastic feedback from Wirral Council’s community consultation for the New Brighton masterplan, which was published just before Christmas.
60% of respondents suggested a lido as a desirable attraction for New Brighton. (The next most popular ideas were for gym/spa/leisure centre and a pier, with 7% for each.)
90% of respondents either strongly agreed or agreed that a lido was generally a good idea for the masterplan.
The top three answers to why a lido was a good idea were: to provide a facility for local people’s health and wellbeing, to serve the whole City Region and bring in visitors, and to boost New Brighton’s image as a great place to live and visit.
Huge thanks to everyone who took the time to share their thoughts with the Council – we look forward to working with them over the coming months to explore the idea further.
Finally, here’s a chance to catch up on our BBC North West Tonight news feature with the fabulous Happy Chilly Dippers, about our shared hopes for The People’s Pool. This went out on New Year’s Day and got a great response, which was a lovely way to start the year.