Fears over potential Pool and Track sale

Thursday, 24 September 2009

By Martyn Dolton

A 98-year-old athletics club could be made homeless if council plans to sell Walthamstow’s Pool and Track go ahead.

The site, in Chingford Road, could be sold to raise £10million for the Arcade site development in Hoe Street, which would see new housing, a cinema and swimming pool built.

If the site is sold, there are fears that clubs such as the Orion Harriers could cease to operate.

Steve Timpson, the club’s junior secretary, described the plans as ‘totally unacceptable’ for an Olympic borough.

He said: “The council should be encouraging more people to take part in sport by providing more facilities, not cutting them back.

“There are no other facilities like this in the borough so we have nowhere to go.

“So many schools and clubs use the facilities here; the effect of closing it would be huge and we will do all in our power to stop these plans going ahead.”

The Labour/Lib Dem coalition cabinet was split on the decision last Tuesday with the four Lib Dem councillors voting against the plans and the six Labour voting for it.

The decision came despite recommendations from the council’s scrutiny committee to carry out a financial study before a decision was reached.

The move has been slammed by the Lib Dem leader, and deputy leader of the council, Councillor John Macklin, who accused the Labour group of putting its interests before the people of the borough.

He said: “What concerns me the most is how they think they will be able to provide a facility on the Arcade site in a recession when they were unable to do it during the boom.”

According to the cabinet report, the Arcade site development would be funded by £10m from the sale of assets ‘such as the Pool and Track’ alongside a £35m loan.

A spokesman for Waltham Forest Council said the authority was unable to comment on the proposed sale.

The council would only confirm that the area was one of several being considered for disposal, but stressed no firm decision had yet been made.

Email: waltham@yellowad.co.uk

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24 comments on this news item

Posted by : Adam, Waltham forest | Thursday 08/Oct/2009 | Report this comment

I cant believe the council is suggesting to remove valuable facilities from the borough replacing it with a token pool at the top of a market!!!!! I have heard that they are looking to put social housing in the pool and track site, why not just fix the pool and track and put the housing in the already free arcade site. More sense all round and very likely more cost effective

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Posted by : Chelsea.W, Chingford E4 | Sunday 04/Oct/2009 | Report this comment

Pool and Track shouldn’t be closed, whoever is coming up with these Ridiculous ideas is taking away, The one thing that keeps us kids Fit and can have fun. Why are they suggesting a cinema instaed, you can clearly see we don’t want one, we want our Pool and Track!

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Posted by : Emma, Chingford | Sunday 04/Oct/2009 | Report this comment

Why have the council allowed this facility to fall into disrepair? The planet has limited resources, the council is recommending not repair but destruction of buildings, selling off of land and using more resources to build on each site. Who is actually benefiting from this? Not the residents of the borough. If this plan goes through all residents will suffer, the borough becomes a less attractive place to live and opportunities are lost. It’s outrageous

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