TAMESIDE Council is to seek assurances that Active Tameside’s decision to close three centres will not cause havoc for users.
And the swimming pool at Ashton-under-Lyne needs ‘significant investment’ as it is past its ‘end of life.’
The much-used facility will close its doors on Sunday, September 3, along with Adventure Longdendsle.
Active Etherow, in Broadbottom, will shut on Friday, September 1.
Now after the closure was announced because of running costs across its whole estate rising to more than £2 million, although it insists its eight other sites, will remain open, the council will.seek answers.
Chiefly, what does it mean for people who use the three sites it owns but rents to Active Tameside?
A Tameside Council spokesperson said after Active said it could not provide financial help:
“We are of course seeking assurances and clarification on the plans to relocate clubs, classes and staff and will support Active Tameside, like we would any other organisation to ensure the best outcome possible for residents.
“Active Tameside’s proposal to close three facilities is of course disappointing for everyone, especially Active Tameside.
“Active is an independent, not-for-profit charity, provides some of the best health and wellbeing services across Greater Manchester and manages the council’s leisure estate.
“However, with rising energy costs and inflation, Active Tameside does not have sufficient revenue to sustain its current business model and needs to close some sites in order to secure the future of the whole leisure offer.
“The council’s finances means that it is not in a position to pay more for the services and sadly like other sports trust, Active has not been able to access any government support to deal with the excessive energy costs.
“With ongoing running costs, and the Ashton facility being past its end of life and requiring significant investment, it is no longer feasible for Active to run its offer from this site together with Adventure Longdendale and Active Etherow.”
Great shame . Been using Ashton for 40 years great set of lads . Shame we couldn’t of got rid of a few councillors to make up the costs . To many with there noses in the trough .
My wife and my family use ashton pool . The Labour sports minister opened this pool in 1975 and under a deputy leader of Labour Party the pool will shut
I transfered along with all the pool staff from the old baths to the new a great set of people.
Closure of Active Ashton will have a big impact on the people who go to that Centre who use the classes, both young and old. The building has been allowed to fall into disrepair, Denton now has a state of the art facility, £4m has been spent on a new pool in Hyde. Ashton is becoming a ghost town!
Ghost town !!!!
There’s more money spent on half baked schemes, howmany bus stations the white elephant Tameside one, I could go on and on and on.
Historical buildings left to rot until they become unsafe.
45 years of mis management that’s what we’ve been lumbered with.
Our group of 70 to 80 year olds has been using the Etherow Centre for indoor bowling during the winter months for well over 10 years. We are a group of over 30 pensioners who met through our love of bowling. We will fall apart without this facility.
Etherow is a relatively small operation compared with running a swimming pool. Surely the council could take over keeping this open.
It is an important facility for many retired people, socially and for exercise.
The Etherow Centre has been a lifeline for our group of pensioners (between 20 and 30 of us each week) who wish to keep active socialise and generally keep up our wellbeing and mental health in these trying times. Many others besides ourselves take part in the many leagues which operate during the week. Will be a sad loss to our group of friends if we are not able to carry on bowling. Hopefully the decision can be reversed or at least make some proposal to relocate the indoor bowling to another centre. Not everyone wants to go to a gym to keep fit!
Ashton becoming a ghost town? Except they have a few million grant to spend on a Town Hall which most of Tameside inhabitants don’t bother using!!
Definitely! What about schools and groups like Ashton swimming club? Will they be moved to Denton this moving the timetable snd taking away classes we use as members?!! I bet this will be next, I go to Aquafit at Denton, along with 50 ladies, love doing this but I bet that will go to accommodate schools, what do I pay my membership for I might ask?!!
I can assure it will cause absolute chaos Tameside Council
I’ve took all 3 of my babies swimming at ashton, I will now have to get 2 buses from Droylsden at 7am to get to baby classes at denton
Lots of pentioners go there for classes but have there butties and a natter after
It’s also not going to be good for what few shops are left in ashton I have no reason to go there the only few shops thate are left I can walk to at either Droylsden Openshaw, Clayton or snip
Closure of Ashton u Lyne pool is Ashton Council riding roughshod once again over the residents of Tameside .
They say the pool has asbestos well they must have known that in 2017 when Wellness centre was earmarked for Denton so why build in Denton at the side of a busy A road ?
Ashton would have been the better choice has it is central to transport.
They have let the Town Hall and Market place get run down (whilst building a college slap bang in town centre closing off a road to do so) in the past 50years I think we have had 4 new bus stations and 3/4 revamps of market.
Every councillor in Tameside should be hanging their head in shame but no it’s the citizens of the borough that have to put up and shut up
DISGUSTING
The closure of Ashton pool is disgusting. Residents in Tameside pay council tax but never get a say in decisions like this. So many people’s lives revolve around this pool. To close a pool in one of the most deprived ares is disgusting and will devastate many lives. This impacts on mental and physical health.
I really hope the council reconsiders this. Ashton need this pool more than money spent on the market again!!!! It’s time this council was investigated for their running of the town. I wish people would stop voting labour for Tameside. Everyone complain s but people need to get out and vote too