Dennistoun Community Council has submitted the below enquiry to the following people:
- Susan Deighan (Glasgow Life chief executive)
- Andrew Olney (Glasgow Life director of libraries, sport and communities)
- Jan Buchanan (Glasgow Life director of finance and corporate services)
- Bailie Annette Christie (Glasgow Life chair and SNP councillor for East Centre ward)
- Cllr Allan Casey (SNP councillor for Dennistoun ward)
- Bailie Anthony Carroll (Scottish Green councillor for Dennistoun ward)
- Cllr Elaine McDougall (Labour councillor for Dennistoun ward)
- Ivan McKee (SNP MSP for Glasgow Provan constituency)
- Maureen Burke (Labour MP for Glasgow North East constituency).
Responses received will be added to the comments section following this post.
At virtually every Dennistoun Community Council meeting, for the past few years now, there has been a clearly evident high level of concern and strong feeling felt by the community in and around Dennistoun regarding the provision of local facilities and amenities.
The lack of communication and engagement by Glasgow Life regarding the status of Whitehill Pool in particular is leading to confusion, speculation and palpable anger.
In January 2019, reported plans for closure of the pool resulted in DCCs most well-attended ordinary meeting, with Dennistoun Library unable to physically accommodate the vast number of people who wished to attend.
Nine days later, in response to this unprecedented strength of feeling, DCC hosted a special public meeting specifically to discuss the matter. More than 250 community members attended to take part in a powerful, emotional and positive discussion. Those present voted for the Save Whitehill Pool group to lead the campaign from that point forward. DCC has supported its efforts, and Whitehill Pool has been raised for discussion at almost every meeting since.
Since 2019, there have been a series of promises, investigations, surveys and reports and funding announcements. Covid caused setbacks, but after over one year of closure the pool was able to reopen in May 2021, albeit with significantly reduced opening hours, which never recovered to pre-covid levels before the discovery of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) resulted in indefinite closure.
As of today, the pool remains closed, with no published plan for reopening in the foreseeable future, or any identified plan for the long term security of the facility.
The effects of this closure are particularly stark when understood in the context of the findings of the GCC Liveable Neighbourhood report on our area. The report formally identified a lack of high-quality public and green spaces, underutilised open spaces, an inadequate number of play areas, a fragmented active travel route network, and a lack of connectivity links with nearby areas.
Dennistoun Community Council therefore asks what measures you will be taking in the coming days, weeks and months to ensure that Whitehill Pool is reopened and available for use by the community at the absolute earliest opportunity, and that relevant resources are available to ensure the long term future of the venue is secured.
Further details: dennistouncc.org.uk/tag/whitehill-pool and facebook.com/SaveWhitehillPool.
Whitehill Swimming club is currently operating with limited time at Glasgow Club Springburn on Thursday night.
Temple Swimming club (for people who have a recognised disability) are currently accommodated at Tollcross with very limited time and pool space on Tuesday night.
Both clubs greatly appreciate the recognition you are giving to our current predicament.
Additionally the impact of the pool closure affects all people of all ages in their efforts to remain their health (physically and mentally).
The local community desperately need the Whitehill facilities to be available again.
Bill Stark, Whitehill Swimming club
Response received via email from Cllr Carroll:
Thanks very much for reaching out on this. As you know, I’ve been consistently chasing up Glasgow Life not just on the short term investment to be resolved regarding the RAAC, but also pressing that there is longer term investment, in particular in the learning pool.
The latest update I got from the director of Glasgow Life was on Tuesday, who said they are still “in the process of assessing these proposals to identify the potential timescales and capital budget needed to support each option.” I stressed to her that there is a feeling of a lack of urgency on this from Glasgow Life, as it is a vital asset in our community that needs addressed promptly. I’ve attached the response to this email.
On the further capital investment needed such as for the learning pool, I’ve requested to meet the new MP to raise this with her and ask that she makes the case to her UK Government colleagues the necessity for capital funding for Whitehill Pool. I’m still awaiting an appointment with her 10 weeks later. I believe that in the run up to the Commonwealth Games, we must make the push to national Governments that if Glasgow is to host an international sporting event, then surely we should be investing in our sporting and leisure facilities to help foster physical activity on a local level. I hope that such a case can’t be ignored by national Governments.
I know that this feels like a constant fight to maintain a key community facility, but I want to re-assure that I am keen at any opportunity to push for a secure, sustainable future for Whitehill Pool along with others, and will keep doing so to all levels of Government to make that happen.
Thanks again for getting in touch,
Anthony
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Text of attached letter from Glasgow Life:
17 September 2024
Dear Councillor Carroll,
Thank for your enquiry regarding Whitehill Pool. on behalf of your constituent.
First, I would like to apologise for the delay in responding to your enquiry.
Since our last update on RAAC in August 2024, Glasgow Life continues to establish the available feasible options for Whitehill Pool to address the presence of RAAC within the venue.
Consultant reports received confirm that the RAAC is “red category – high risk” within the venue due to its condition and the imposed loading on the panels. Several feasibility options have been developed which deal with these risks. Glasgow Life is in the process of assessing these proposals to identify the potential timescales and capital budget needed to support each option. Once collated, this information will be shared and discussed with Glasgow City Council colleagues over the coming weeks to review these findings and consider the best approach to address the options identified.
It should be noted that these options and costs are only to address the presence of RAAC in the venue and do not include any other major repairs and refurbishment work required to deal with the building conditions identified through the previous assessments of the venue.
We will brief you with more detail in the coming weeks once we have had the opportunity to discuss the options with the Council.
I trust this information is of assistance.
Yours sincerely,
Susan Deighan
Chief Executive
Big thankyou to Anthony Carroll for really getting into dealing with all of our concerns!
Also extremely grateful to the Dennistoun Community Council (AGAIN) for raising the profile on this issue and the effects that closure of Whitehill Leisure has across the community.
Bill Stark
Response received from Cllr McDougall:
I have attached the response I received today from Glasgow Life with an update.
I will continue to liaise with the director of Glasgow Life regarding the re-opening of Whitehill Pool and will always endeavour to keep you updated.
Kind regards
Cllr Elaine McDougall
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Body text of attached letter from Glasgow Life matches that provided above to Cllr Carrroll.
Thank you for sending this.
I was prescribed swimming by my physio a few years ago to help with the onset of arthritis in my 50s so have been dismayed not to have access to our local pool first thing in the morning before work. The 7.30am slot was when I could have a gentle workout before the day got underway. After COVID the pool started opening at 10am – too late for me; and now it’s closed completely.
Swimming is – or was – my plan to keep moving, keep healthier, keep fitter for longer. Surely an investment / saving for our health service too?
It is just not feasible to expect people of all ages to travel to Tollcross or The Gorbals instead. For a variety or reasons: time, cost, ease. What what about the community connection and solidarity in our neighbourhood that our pool helps generate and support.
I would volunteer a couple of hours a week if that contributed to keeping the pool open, I care about it that much.
What makes me think that if we were living in the west end, this pool would be fully operational?
We need far more commitment to the people living in the east end of the city from Glasgow City Council and far more imagination from Glasgow City Council about how we maintain and run our public amenities so we don’t lose them completely. What will we get instead – if anything? Unaffordable private clubs which are essentially money-making machines for owners and shareholders who don’t actually live here and don’t care about anything except their dividends.
Keep Glasgow healthy and happy – and local. Give us back our Pool.
If the RAAC is THAT bad and the costs prohibitive, let’s have a fully accessible Lido (outdoor pool).
At least we’d keep the pools.
Lidos are very popular in London. So why not here?
Refurbishment could be a new Passivhaus/net zero building around the pools with accessible changing rooms, hot showers and gym/activities hall.
Might be cheaper than trying to save the building.
And if not, it could certainly make it fitter for the long term future.
I think what I am probably trying to say is that this city needs to inject some creative thinking around community amenities – and involve those of us who actually use them instead of dropping the solutions on us from on high.
Response received from Cllr Casey on 25th Sep:
Thank you for getting in touch with me regarding the situation at Whitehill Pool.
As you will be aware I have also been extensively involved in all the discussions around the future of Whitehill Since the leaked “options” paper came to light in 2019 and of course its worth noting that since that leaked paper no democratic decisions have ever been made to permanently close Whitehill. You will be aware that I lobbied my City government colleagues and was able to secure an additional £1m investment into Whitehill pool in our City Government Budget which has been used for various improvements since then.
Of course the most recent issue at Whitehill Pool was the discovery of RAAC. I to was extremely disappointed to learn of the discovery of the presence of RAAC on the pool roof which has caused the pool to close, however I hope you will agree with me that this is the correct decision while the safety of the building was being assessed.
As you will be aware I am as equally as passionate about the future of the pool as the community council and the wider local community and as soon as I heard the news I spoke with Glasgow Life immediately to relay my concerns about the impact this could have. I was assured that a structural engineers report would be undertaken as soon as possible to establish the extend and condition of the RAAC on the roof and what would have to happen next.
I have continued to meet with Glasgow Life regularly to be updated on the progress of the investigations and subsequent action that will be required.
The latest update I have is below.
Glasgow Life continues to establish the available feasible options for Whitehill Pool to address the presence of RAAC within the venue.
Consultant reports received confirm that the RAAC is “red category – high risk” within the venue due to its condition and the imposed loading on the panels. Several feasibility options have been developed which deal with these risks.
Glasgow Life is in the process of assessing these proposals to identify the potential timescales and capital budget needed to support each option. Once collated, this information will be shared and discussed with Glasgow City Council colleagues over the coming weeks to review these findings and consider the best approach to address the options identified.
It should be noted that these options and costs are only to address the presence of RAAC in the venue and do not include any other major repairs and refurbishment work required to deal with the building conditions identified through the previous assessments of the venue.
I think you will appreciate that while the extend of the costs and work is still unknown I cannot give an absolute assurance about the future of the pool while this work is underway however I am absolutely committed to doing all I can towards ensuring the pools future as I have done in the past.
With regards to your question about what i am doing, I can confirm that I will continue to advocate for funding for the pool and I will be meeting again with Glasgow Life as soon as the detailed work on costings are confirmed.
I would be more than happy to meet with the community council and the save Whitehill group at any point if you think that would be helpful.
Kind Regards
Cllr Allan Casey
Response received from Ivan McKee MSP on 25th Sep:
Dear Allan/all,
Thanks for this very useful update.
Just to add to this that I’d be keen to join any meeting, if arranged, to discuss these ongoing issues.
Kind regards
Ivan
Response received from Susan Deighan, Chief Executive, Glasgow Life on 01 Oct:
Thank you for your email regarding Whitehill Pool that was sent to Bailie Christie, myself and other senior officers at Glasgow Life, please take this as a response of behalf of us all.
Glasgow Life has communicated that the decision to close the pool in December 2023 was due to the discovery of RAAC within the premises. This was part of a city-wide process that identified four Glasgow Life venues that contained RAAC. Following this we have engaged with consultants to establish the seriousness of the issue in each venue and to identify options for each venue to address the RAAC.
The consultant reports confirm that the RAAC is high risk at Whitehill Pool, and the options have been developed in line with this risk. Glasgow Life has continued to work closely with the appointed cost consultants to establish outline costs and estimated timescales to undertake the works needed. Draft cost reports have been returned and Glasgow Life is reviewing these to identify likely capital required and delivery timescales associated for each option.
This information will be shared and discussed with Glasgow City Council as owners of the building over the coming weeks to review these findings and consider how to progress matters. Please note that the capital funding allocated to Glasgow Life venues is made from the City Council’s capital programme and the options and costs being developed to address RAAC are in addition to the challenges the venue faced prior to 2020 and were subject to an options appraisal at that time.
We have kept the local elected members up to date regarding progress and once we have had the discussions with Glasgow City Council in the coming weeks regarding options, funding and timescales we will be able to brief stakeholders in more detail.
I trust this information is of assistance.
Your sincerely,
Susan Deighan
Chief Executive
Glasgow Life
I think there is a wider question about how we want our Pool to function in the long-term within the community. Reduced opening hours, for example, make it inaccessible for people. Involve us in devising the post-RAAC solutions.
The local community should be in the driving seat, not being ‘consulted’ in a half hearted way … after the event. If at all.
By not engaging fully with us, continuously or putting our community first and foremost in their handling of the issues around the pool, Glasgow Life is missing out on local ideas, energy and commitment.
It’s not about ‘a pool’, it’s about US. Our needs. Our lives.