|
KEY NEW LODGE SERVICE ROAD DECISION ON MONDAY 30TH JANUARY 2012 IN COUNCIL CHAMBER.
 It's been a long time coming but at long last , not pre-empting due process, practical engineering common sense is on offer now for the Plans Central Committee next Monday evening to grant Planning Permission for a multiple winner.Please click on http://stalbans.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=132&MId=6717 for the night's agenda. One of PoolTooSmall's Chartered Engineers David Gilroy, hopes to speak in support of the Council's excellent application . There are more details further down this webpage . If you have time join us next Monday to witness this special event - it's your democratic right.
POOLTOOSMALL SUPPORTER ROMA MILLS WINS BATCHWOOD BYE-ELECTION. 19TH JANUARY 2012.
 Here at PoolTooSmall we have no political status – we never say “Vote Party X or Y”. What we do however is commend or otherwise individuals who support our general campaign for improved leisure/aquatic facilities in the City and District of St.Albans. Last night was a classic example of democracy in action. Here we had a 5 star asset to the City and the Council Chamber who , removed from office by a single vote in May 2010 still fought for our cause in the frontline at Westminster Lodge and at the Council Offices. The colour of party rosettes means nothing to us at PoolTooSmall – it’s individuals listening to us the People and delivering the goods on the ground which impresses the resident or voter. We repeat yet again to everyone of the SADC’s 58 elected Councillors that only we the People give you the honour and privilege to listen to us then act appropriately. You are there to serve us and not yourselves. Ignore this message at your peril – there are local elections of one kind or another every May and 2012 is no exception. PoolTooSmall has much to do in 2012 particularly safely seeing in the New Lodge Centre but also ensuring that key operating decisions taken in the Council Chamber meet with the People’s approval. To this end Roma’s Return is welcome , we believe, right across the political spectrum.
WELCOME BACK COUNCILLOR ROMA MILLS. VOTE IN BATCHWOOD BYE-ELECTION THURSDAY 19TH JANUARY 2012 - 7AM- 10PM.
 If you are eligible please exercise your democratic right to vote to select a Councillor in Batchwood Ward . It is not our place to say "Vote Party X or Y" - what we do is indicate individual candidates who we believe we can trust to drive through our priorities. Hence see below where a 5 star asset Roma Mills (pictured) is standing .Young family man Tim Smith who apparently swims at Westminster Lodge is also standing.
We are informed by Returning Officer Mr Lovelady that counting will start at 10.15pm on the Thursday night just after Polls close at the Council Offices. We presume a result by midnight? Good luck everyone.
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012 FROM POOLTOOSMALL - JANUARY STARTS WITH A BANG!
ROMA MILLS STANDS IN BATCHWOOD BYE-ELECTION THURSDAY 19TH JANUARY 2012.
If you thought that PoolTooSmall was going to rest on the successes of the last 2 years, you are wrong - there is much left to do . For years the New Lodge project has been riven by politics and politicians at the People's expense. It has taken, amongst others, the non -political campaign group PoolToosmall to lobby for changes in the New Lodge specification despite the long term worst efforts of the last political team- removed from power at District elections last May 2011.
Here at PoolTooSmall we have no political status and are not affilliated to any political party and never will be. We never say "Vote Party X or Y"- what we do however is to commend or otherwise individuals, citizens, candidates or Councillors and let you the reader or voter make up your own minds . And stepping up in a surprise bye-election on Thursday 19th January 2012 in Batchwood Ward is longtime PoolTooSmall supporter Roma Mills . On the steps of Westminster Lodge with us as long ago as 2009 and in the Council Chamber in 2010 we have a fighter and winner for our cause . Respected right across the political spectrum and a former St Albans City Mayor and Councillor for 22 years - look no further than this 5 star asset to all of us than Roma Mills! And if that isn't enough then read on as Structural Engineer Mike Wakely brings potential New Year cheer to the Abbey Theatre and to the New Lodge Project cost savings and ecological benefits!
FRESH NEW LODGE SERVICE ROAD APPLICATION TO BE HEARD 3OTH JANUARY 2012.
  Congratulations to SADC Portfolio Holder and structural engineer Cllr Mike Wakely together with Willmott Dixon for drawing up plans that should have been drawn up two years ago by the now defunct , technically incompetent old Lodge political administration . Here we have a multiple winner of a plan , 5/2011/2253, which , if passed , would remove the Sword of Damocles hanging over our beloved Abbey Theatre these last 2-3 years. The old plan,5/2010/ 2059, bludgeoned through by tho old Project team effectively wrecked the Abbey Theatre's obvious future expansion plans for the next 52 years of their lease by driving a road at the rear of their premises which sterilised their future prospects. But now following on from the brilliant expansion of the New Lodge Main Pool by 25% to 10 lanes, yet more engineering excellence from the new Team as they now put in an absolute winner of a plan - it is all upsides and no downsides. One of PoolTooSmall's Chartered Engineers David Gilroy formally submitted comment and pictures (above) to Planning Officer Mr Westwood in October 2010. This and several more submissions are totally in favour of the new plan. Please read all about it by clicking on http://planning.stalbans.gov.uk/Planning/lg/GFPlanningSearch.page and following the links . Essentially this plan is cheaper , safer , socially and ecologically friendlier and operationally better. The potential bonus for all of us is that the costs saved will bring back the Solar PV panels into the Project budget and literally onto the New Lodge roof! Brilliant! And the Abbey Theatre can get on with it's life.
If you are able , please come to the hearing on 30th January 2012 in the Council Chamber at 7 pm - David Gilroy in his professional capacity expects to speak in support of the Council's excellent application. See you there!
STOP PRESS. You have until 25th January 2012 to comment to Mr Westwood on planning@stalbans.co.uk or write to the Council Offices quoting 5/2011/2253. NEW LODGE ON SITE HIGHLIGHT TO ROUND OFF THE YEAR! 22nd December 2011 .
  For more pics it's always worth clicking on "on site action " to the left of this page for more slightly less formal pictures - you might be there !!
LONGTIME POOLTOOSMALL SUPPORTER ROMA MILLS STANDS IN BATCHWOOD WARD LOCAL ELECTION!
 Here at PoolToosmall we are delighted that stepping up as a candidate is a longtime supporter of ours , right from our early days 2 years ago is former St. Albans Councillor and Mayor Roma Mills.Not only was she on the frontline with us on the steps of Westminster Lodge fighting Cllr Robert Donald's incompetent crew but was there in the Council Chamber supporting us to bring common sense to prevail. Pictured left before Cllr Donald took a hiding at his own unnecessary call-in of the Westminster Lodge 10 lane expansion on 27th July 2011 are a star studded array of what democracy is all about. From left to right at the back Roma Mills, Deputy Executive Leader SADC Mike Wakely , PoolTooSmall Leader David Gilroy, PoolTooSmall supporters Alan Pearson, Ernest Barnes ,Rob Hill , Executive Leader SADC Julian Daly and former Civic Society Chair Peter Trevelyan. Front Roma's son Matthew, Peter Woolf, Ingrid Gilroy and James Gilroy.
We have no previous knowledge of the other candidates Mr Tim Smith and Mr David Partridge.
As always PoolTooSmall wishes to make it's standard declaration. We are not affiliated to any political party and never will be. It is not our place to tell you how to vote but we do present information so that you can decide for yourselves .
Please vote in Batchwood Ward on 19th January 2012 if you are eligible - it's your democratic right - you could make the difference!
INDOMITABLE POOLTOOSMALL CO-FOUNDER INGRID GILROY LEAVES HOSPITAL SMILING! 1ST DECEMBER 2011.   The picture left says it all as she and another PoolTooSmall Founder husband David Gilroy give the thumbs up to the NHS and Watford General Hospital after some of the most testing 8 days in their 43 year marriage. Ingrid required pre-emptive surgery to stop future Big C so it was all hands to the pumps as our family and friends including many PoolTooSmall supporters swung into action to do the needful when the pressure was on. She confounded us all that after a 5 hour major bowel operation she was directing operations a few days later despite some short term sickness and a minor infection.
Home in just 8 days from admission to discharge is remarkable by any standards and that is what she sets. Folklore already, Ingrid personally distributed about 7000 PoolTooSmall leaflets this last 2 years on the steps of our heartland Westminster Lodge and around the City of St.Albans. She is also the creator of the now famous PoolTooSmall placards in their many versions ( picture) . At home Sunday 4th December 2011 she said :-“I am just overwhelmed by the good wishes and love that I have received. I also must say how wonderful the care was in Watford General – never let me hear anybody criticise them, because they could not have been kinder and more efficient It was good company the women in Langley ward with me and new friendships were forged.The phone doesn’t stop ringing – people walking past then knocking are quite stunned to see I am home. They knock to hear how I am, then they come in and I can hold forth to them . People are so lovely- my family, friends and PoolTooSmall supporters are wonderful– I am very fond of the human race at the moment and I love you all.” What a birthday present this is for PoolTooSmall – 2 years old this very week and in business way beyond New Lodge opening in a year’s time. So there you have it folks- you now see why, if you didn’t before, at PoolTooSmall we are on the case 24/7/365- we never give up –we make a habit of winning. Please say hello to Ingrid on newpooltoosmall@ntlworld.com NOW – she will be delighted to hear from you . Thank you. NEW LODGE BURNING THE NIGHT OIL- 25th NOVEMBER 2011.
 PoolTooSmall were running late last Friday and were treated to a floodlit spectacular by Willmott Dixon and their main groundworks contractor Cooney. Time and tide and expensive equipment wait for no man as at about 17.22 hrs , well after the end of the normal site week, a few tons of Hanson's concrete were shifted by the Camfaud concrete pump ( in yellow left) to the first floor Spa area which was then raked flat by 6 operatives . All supervised by Cooney's site manager , Omar.The massive multikilowatt arc lights do the business , safety awareness on this site is consistently a star feature. Well done lads - enjoy your weekend - plenty more to do on Monday!HIGH FIVE FOR WILLMOTT DIXON ! 22 NOVEMBER 2011.
     Many congratulations to Willmott Dixon but also to two of the many unsung hero companies on the great St.Albans flagship project namely Anscough and L&W Naylor Ltd of Doncaster - Timber Erectors. The pictures speak for themselves as the heaviest "High Five " in years some 25 metres in the air is finally bolted in by the cherry picker boys. Right hand picture shows Warrick Naylor chaining up a massive Glulam beam before it takes up residence for the next maybe 50 years. Smooth and professional a tribute to all concerned in British and European engineering.
More facts and figures later. NEW LODGE MASSIVE GLULAM BEAM LIFT A GREAT SUCCESS! 21 NOVEMBER 2011.
    
Today was a massive day in the life of the New Lodge constuction project as main contractor Willmott Dixon brought in from Denmark the hi -tech roof beams and massive muscle from Doncaster to place them in position over the 3 pool area .The Lilleheden company of Denmark with an office in Doncaster on http://www.lilleheden.dk/uk/ supply and install these unique Glulam beams . Four were installed today under the supervision of Willmott Dixon at the New Lodge site. Two trailers each carrying two 34 metre long beams each weighing 7 tons started out from Denmark last week to spend their next 50 years or more in St.Albans. With a police motor cycle escort from Harwich early this morning they were greeted not only by Project Director Simon Ramage and his team but also by an Anscough 200 ton heavy lift crane which purred effortlessly through a textbook lift . There is little margin for error maybe 5 mm as the 34 metre beam is lowered into position guided by 2 cherry pickers onto the waiting steel supports set in reinforced concrete. In 10 minutes the first beam is bolted in first at the gallery end then at the Mud Lane side. Sighs of relief all round from Willmott Dixon ,SADC Project Manager Julie Simpson , Lilleheden and the PoolTooSmall onlookers . Commenting afterwards to PoolTooSmall , Simon Ramage said " We're really pleased with how today went, despite the cool exteriors we're never at ease when an operation like this is taking place, so its great when it goes so well".
St.Albans can take great pride in today's operation a tribute to British and European engineering. Tomorrow Tuesday 22nd November , the 5th and final 34 metre beam will arrive and be installed at the Holywell Hill end of the site .
Congratulations all concerned .
Remember you get it first and weekly/fortnightly here at PoolTooSmall on www.pooltoosmall.com
Bookmark us NOW - we are on the case beyond opening in a years' time.
NEWSFLASH- MASSIVE GLULAM ROOF COMETH MONDAY AM 21st NOVEMBER 2011.
 We report a forthcoming event unique in St.Albans' long history at the New Lodge Site. Main Contractor Willmott Dixon's operations site manager Simon Ramage explained to PoolTooSmall's Chartered Engineer David Gilroy today Friday 18th November what it was all about . The Glulam roof ,made in Denmark will cover the Main Pool , Learner Pool and Gallery area . Glulam means Glued/ Laminate and is a special wood construction - stronger than steel and very ecological and cost effective.There will be 3 trailers each just under 34 metres long and each carrying 2 massive Glulam roof sections. The convoy will have a police escort all the way from the coast until it parks in Mud Lane, St.Albans early this coming Monday morning. A special 200 ton heavy lifter crane inside the site will then lift the sections in order directly onto the concrete and steel frame. The picture on the left taken by PoolTooSmall Thursday 17th November 2011 shows the corner of the site all ready and waiting for the "Big One". So don't drive your vehicle anywhere in this area - junction of Mud Lane and Holywell Hill this coming Monday morning . For a grandstand view take an early morning stroll through Verulamium by the Ver . We will with our cameras of course.Simon Ramage is absolutely right - a unique St.Albans event .
For some of us - literally once in a lifetime. Good luck lads!
Remember you can contact us 24/7/365 on newpooltoosmall@ntlworld.com with questions or comment.
Finally - please bookmark us on www.pooltoosmall.com the ONLY website to bring you weekly/fortnightly pictures and reports of this the largest flagship project in St.Albans' long history. NEW LODGE SITE PROGRESS AND VISITOR CENTRE OPENS - 13th NOVEMBER 2011.
     It's all happening at the New Lodge site. The first School to visit the newly opened Visitor's Centre, Prae Wood Primary School today 15th November 2011were shown plans and bricks by Willmott Dixon's site managers Mike Pennington and Tony Wright . They also had to answer tough questions like "How many bricks and of course the ultimate "When will it be open?" All is being revealed as , blessed by frostfree conditions the Learner Pool now has all it's sides and soon will be water tested and the 10 lane Main Pool is not far behind . The cherry pickers reach the parts most mortals would not dream of as the big Supervisor across the road looks on. Coming soon a megaload by road the Glulam roof from the Continent. We'll be there to record it all.
Well done, everyone , more later.
Remember to bookmark us on www.pooltoosmall.com the only website that brings you weekly/fortnightly pictures and reports as it happens of the biggest Project in the City of St.Albans long history. CABINET REVEALS NEW LONDON COLNEY LEISURE CENTRE GO-AHEAD -1st NOVEMBER 2011.
DC Leisure Management Ltd have been appointed as preferred partner for the Council after bids described all round as disappointing.
No swimming pool , diving boards or flumes - the private sector is not stepping up to solve the City's public leisure waterspace shortage.
PoolTooSmall's David Gilroy gives the financial and political background in the Review newspaper of 16 November 2011 page 16 "Let's Back the Winning Team".
LATEST NEW LODGE TIMESCALES EMERGE FROM CABINET-1st NOVEMBER 2011.
 PoolTooSmall comments.Construction on site is going well, frost free so far this Autumn and the major change to a 10 lane Main Pool is well advanced .The Glulam roof over the main and learner pools area is expected end November 2011 and 28 day water testing of these pools will likely commence within the next month. Willmott Dixon are firing on many cylinders as reported earlier. On the face of it the timescales above look comfortable so there appears so far to be no reason why opening of the new Centre is not achieved before Christmas 2012.
Bookmark us on www.pooltoosmall.com the only website to bring you regular weekly/fortnightly pictures and reports of this flagship project on site and in the Council Chamber . FRESH NEW LODGE SERVICE ROAD EDGES CLOSER- HERTSAD 27th OCTOBER 2011. Our thanks to the Herts Advertiser for publishing 2 pieces regarding this positive new development last Thursday 27th October 2011 one by their News Editor Madeleine Burton on page 3 and one by PoolTooSmall's David Gilroy in the Letters on page 11.If you don't get a free hard copy delivered to your door then you can read an e-edition. Just click on http://www.hertsad.co.uk/home/e-edition and follow the instructions.David's letter is reproduced in full -just click on
Announcements on the left . We are delighted to see in Madeleine's piece that leisure Portfolio Holder , professional engineer Mike Wakely met recently with Abbey Theatre's Paul Davidson who, like us, fully supports this new initiative.This is yet another example of a new Council listening to the front line players,swimmers, theatregoers, residents and Council taxpayers and driving welcome change through- long may it continue.
STOP PRESS. Council Press Release 28th October 2011 here - just click on http://www.stalbans.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/press-room/items/2011/October-2011/NewsaferrouteforWestminsterLodgeserviceaccessroad.aspx#0
NEW LODGE CONSTRUCTION ROARING AHEAD - 25 OCTOBER 2011.
     Willmott Dixon and their subcontractors are firing on many cylinders as they go about the Main Pool walls, plant room , sports hall , first floor gym and the Spa. Reinforced concrete, drainage ,floor slabs , steel structure, internal blockwork and now the steel roof all going in. To do this several heavy lifter cranes at once ,cherry pickers ,concrete pump and general purpose machines provide the muscle . Anything up to 40 people on site at the moment means it is all watched over by the Council's Clerk of Works. We estimate that on average about £1 million's worth per month is being spent to deliver the design to us next year.All is going well so let's pay tribute to some of the companies going hard at it.
PC Cooney-groundworks,Mimram-temporary electical works,Mifflin-Steel frame and pre-cast floor install,DB Ryder- blockwork,D&R Scaffold- scaffolding,Aqua Process Engineering-filtration package and TR Freeman-roofing and cladding.Supporting them are yet more companies like Hanson,McGovern, MTN, Quintin, Quellock and Readimix.
Keep it going lads before the weather turns! There are more pictures if you click on "On Site Action" on the left of this page.
Please bookmark us at www.pooltoosmall.com the ONLY website to bring you regular news and pictures of the New Lodge and other developments of an aquatic nature in the District , every week/fortnight.
Any questions or comments please send them to us at newpooltoosmall@ntlworld.com here for you 24/7/365 The new St.Albans District Council (SADC) has formally published in the Press notice of “A new access road at Westminster Lodge Leisure Centre”. It’s reference is 5/11/2253 and you, the public have the right to comment on it – deadline is 2nd November 2011. Here at PoolTooSmall we are analysing the considerable amount of documentation and plans published on line at http://planning.stalbans.gov.uk/Planning/lg/GFPlanningSearch.page
Click on “Planning Applications Search” on the left , then click on “My Planning Applications” then enter the code 5/2011/2253.
Click on Documents – there are 2 pages one for reports and one for plans .
Please send in your comments to planning@stalbans.gov.uk quoting reference 5/2011/2253 deadline is 2nd November 2011. It is your legal right .
PoolTooSmall’s initial assessment of the application is highly favourable. Many of our regular readers including some who are patrons of the Abbey Theatre will be well aware of the history behind the New Lodge service road saga – see earlier pages of this website. In summary, an earlier , intransigent Council gave itself planning permission to bludgeon a service road behind the Abbey Theatre and effectively wreck any future development plans it may have had .It probably alienated everyone in the City except the 2 proposing councillors namely Cllrs Donald and Burton. Mercifully in May 2011 the people voted Cllr Donald’s group out of power and replaced it with a new highly professional leadership, led by Cllr Julian Daly , who are setting to rights some of the people’s grievances about the New Lodge facility. SADC Portfolio Holder for Leisure ,professional engineer Cllr Mike Wakely and his team plus main contractor Willmott Dixon are to be congratulated on this new Application which is literally a multiple winner. If and hopefully when, passed :-
1. It puts the Abbey Theatre out of it’s misery of the last 2 years so they can continue development of their unique institution on their leased land for at least the next half a century.
2. It will save the destruction of more trees on the site including one about 80 years old.
3. The new cut directly off Holywell Hill is very short and should cost less in construction than the old discredited service road plan.
4. It saves intersection of an ancient footpath from the south east corner to the Abbey Theatre entrance.
5. It is safer – delivery of hazardous chemicals etc go direct into the new service yard , well away from the public and not round the houses.
All in all, without pre-empting due democratic process, we commend this Application highly and invite you to spend as much time as you can afford to looking at the details. We hope you will email planning@stalbans.gov.uk with your comments copy to us as ever at newpooltoosmall@ntlworld.com and/or your councillor.
Your input becomes an official document and will be considered by the appropriate SADC committee later in the year.
The pictures show the proposed site area taken by PoolTooSmall from the Holywell Hill central reservation in October 2011.
This is a vital step forward in exactly the right manner to settling the New Lodge plan ready for opening next year.
Please don’t leave it to the next person – please read the details if you can and at least dash off a quick email to planning@stalbans.gov.uk quoting reference number 5/2011/2253. This Application is professional practical common sense by an excellent team – they deserve our support.
PoolTooSmall has no political status – we just tell it the way it is. It’s our democratic right. IT'S ALL HAPPENING AT THE NEW LODGE SITE! 10 OCTOBER 2011.
The pictures say it all as Willmott Dixon and their various subcontractors go full steam ahead to get themselves weatherproof before Winter arrives.The McGovern heavy lifter is moving into place tons of steel beams , pre-cast concrete slabs , bricks and concrete. A newly installed on site mortar silo next to the Mud Lane site gate appeared in just a day. It will be feeding an army of bricklayers with mortar soon as internal and external cladding and other work progresses.
  
As fast as Mifflin delivers the pre- manufactured steel beams, all individually numbered some weighing tons -see picture left ,they are installed usually the same day. The learner pool measuring 17 metres by 10 metres is very discernible now. The 10 lane Main pool is being constructed from the lane 10 ( plant room side ) working towards the corner of Mud Lane and Holywell Hill. The staircase (pictured left ) and the upper floor gym looking towards the Cathedral are also taking shape
We are obliged to SADC's Head of Leisure Richard Shwe for briefing PoolTooSmall on the New Lodge service road for which Planning Permission will be required. The Case number for it is 5/2011/2253 and you may , with the right browser , click on it here
More pictures and reports to come - don't forget to click on "On Site Action" on the left soon for updates.
STOP PRESS. BIG CONCRETE POUR WEDNESDAY 12th OCTOBER 2011. The "Claw" concrete pump is expected to strut it stuff. NEW LODGE CENTRE GETS PUBLIC OBSERVATION CABIN. 19 SEPTEMBER 2011.
 NEW LODGE ACCESS ROAD PLANS ARE WELCOMED-HERTSAD 27th OCTOBER 2011 PAGE 11.
Here is Chartered Engineer David Gilroy's submission to the Hertsad last week. SIR- FRESH NEW LODGE SERVICE ROAD COUNCIL APPLICATION IS A WINNER!  Our initial assessment of the application is highly favourable. Many of your regular readers including some who are patrons of the Abbey Theatre will be well aware of the history behind the New Lodge service road saga . In summary, an earlier , intransigent Council gave itself planning permission to drive a service road behind the Abbey Theatre and effectively wreck any future development plans it may have had . It probably alienated everyone in the City except the 2 proposing councillors namely Cllrs Donald and Burton. Mercifully in May 2011 the people voted this group out of power and replaced it with a new, highly professional leadership, led by Cllr Julian Daly , who are setting to rights some of the people’s grievances about the New Lodge facility. SADC Portfolio Holder for Leisure ,professional engineer Cllr Mike Wakely and his team plus main contractor Willmott Dixon are to be congratulated on this new Application which is literally a multiple winner. If and hopefully when passed :- 1. It puts the Abbey Theatre out of it’s misery of the last 2 years so they can continue development of their unique institution on their leased land for at least the next half a century. 2. It will save the destruction of more trees on the site including one about 80 years old. 3. The new cut directly off Holywell Hill is very short and should cost less in construction than the old discredited service road plan. 4. It saves intersection of an ancient footpath from the south east corner to the Abbey Theatre entrance. 5. It is safer – delivery of hazardous chemicals etc go direct into the new service yard , well away from the public and not round the houses. All in all, we strongly support this Application and recommend readers to dash off a quick email to planning@stalbans.gov.uk with their comments.Your input will be considered by the appropriate SADC committee later in the year. This is a vital step forward in exactly the right manner to settling the New Lodge plan ready for opening next year.This Application is more professional practical common sense by the same excellent team that listens to the people and gave us 10 Main Pool lanes not an inadequate 8 – they deserve our support. Please send in your comments to planning@stalbans.gov.uk quoting reference 5/2011/2253 deadline is 2nd November 2011. It is your legal right . PoolTooSmall on www.pooltoosmall.com has no political status – we help bring about sensible change by enlisting practical common sense – it’s as simple as that! Yours sincerely, Eur. Ing. David L.Gilroy. M.Sc. C.Eng. MIET. Chartered Engineer for PoolTooSmall on www.pooltoosmall.com POOLTOOSMALL SQUARES UP TO CLLRS DONALD AND YATES ON NEW MAIN POOL SIZE!
19 SEPTEMBER 2011.
 You would have thought that these 2 senior councillors would have come out of denial after their party's defeat on 5th May 2011 at local elections and a subsequent hammering at SADC Scrutiny Committee ( Public Services) in July 2011 and at least check their facts regarding the New Lodge Main Pool size . But no - just like former Cllr Frearson twice in the last 2 years peddling incorrect information about the New Lodge pool, these heirs apparent are at it now. In a political leaflet through resident's doors this week Cllr Donald is wrongly telling people that the new Main Pool will be a non-standard square one. NOT TRUE! We are obliged to SADC Project Manager Ms Julie Simpson for formally setting the record straight and we quote. "In the original scheme ..the pool was 25x17m.The revised scheme now provides a main pool of 25x21m which means that the lanes are now : lanes 2-9 (8 lanes) =2m each (16m total whilst lanes 1 and 10 are 2.5m (5m total)= 21m in width. For competitions all lanes are 2m wide with a 500mm margin outside lanes 1 and 10 (which can be marked with lane ropes ), to minimise "reflective" wave turbulence (wake) off the side walls."
PoolTooSmall's technical expert comments. The present Lodge pool is 33.3m long and 6x 2m lanes wide - it is 399.6 square metres in area and has a maximum load of 133 people. Cllr Donald's, now discarded as grossly inadequate, proposed pool was to have been 25m x 17 m.This gives an area of 425 square metres and a a maximum load of 142 people - a derisory extra 9 people to meet the extra demands of the St.Albans people for the next 50 years perhaps.The revised New Lodge pool will be 25m by 21m that's an area of 525 square metres and a maximum load of 175 people.
 So our advice to Cllrs Donald and Yates is to get your facts right and rejoice in the fact we now have a first rate professional team driving the Project in Cllrs Daly , Wakely, the officers and Main Contractor Willmott Dixon. The top picture above taken Friday 16th September 2011 shows the 10 lane Main Pool area under construction - site clearance and concrete being poured by the ton - there's no turning back now! The picture on the left shows the ground level cafe/bistro concrete flooring/drainage in place and above it the concrete gym floor under way. Overall Willmott Dixon are well on schedule!
PoolTooSmall on www.pooltoosmall.com is the only website to bring you regular weekly/fortnightly pictures and reports of what is going on with this £25million flagship project. Coming soon - the staircase and and an observation cabin for the public!
If you have any feedback/questions email us on newpooltoosmall@ntlworld.com - here for you 24/7/365.
Bookmark us to be first with the news.
NEW LODGE STEELMEN SHAPE THE NEW CENTRE -23 AUGUST 2011. Let's take our (hard) hats off to one of the many unsung hero companies of this flagship project - Mifflin Construction Ltd .
  
 What a difference a week makes as Wilmott Dixon's team of subcontractors crack on with site preparation and the assembly of the biggest Meccano set St.Albans has seen in recent years! Giant steel beams , nuts and bolts, power drivers and the heavy lifter all going at it.
No wonder SADC Executive Leader Councillor Julian Daly got down there to see how it's going and how our money is being spent.
In the left hand picture from right to left we see Cllr Daly, Willmott Dixon's Project Manager Simon Ramage and Site Manager Mike Pennington getting well and truly involved.
Great going lads, says the PoolTooSmall photographer - just a year to go and we wish you well.
More reports and pictures each week.
NEW LODGE PROJECT GETS A BIG LIFT - 2nd AUGUST 2011.
 There's plenty more where that came from as Willmott Dixon presses on. Stay tuned to us , the only website to give you weekly reports and pictures as this flagship project unfolds .It's your money being spent - see what you are getting! Also click on "On Site Action" on the left for a collection of pictures over the last 18 months or more . POOLTOOSMALL FOUNDER TESTIFIES TO SCRUTINY COMMITTEE - 26 JULY 2011.
 PoolTooSmall founders David and Ingrid Gilroy , pictured left before the meeting, were there with supporters (see picture below). Here follows what David actually said to the Scrutiny Committee last Tuesday - something for everybody. Fashion Note. Ingrid is wearing pink pumps - these are not to help the water go round the 10 lane pool next year - Cllr Wakely's CHP installation in the basement is far more efficient! 1.Thank you , Chair – good evening everyone. I am David Gilroy ,for 37 years a resident of St.Albans and user of Westminster Lodge, a professional engineering project manager, now retired I thought, and leader of campaign group PoolTooSmall. 2. I belong to no political party and PoolTooSmall has no political status. PoolTooSmall supported by amongst many, the Civic Society, will campaign for the foreseeable future for “ adequate public leisure waterspace in the City and District of St.Albans”. 3.Turning to the well documented waterspace deficiency issue. There is a minority still in denial about what the extra 2 lanes on the Main Pool are about. The 2 lanes don’t just reduce the deficiency by over 100 square metres, they also “ futureproof” the WL Main Pool from general public demand overload for at least the next 30 years or more in my expert opinion. A massive prize indeed with all the extra activities and income that will result – water polo and canoeing I want to throw in as well, well worth consideration. 4. I reported all this on 19th July 2010 to Cllr Daly’s Scrutiny Committee in this Chamber , which helped that multi-party committee to vote for 10 lanes not 8 . So Chair’s main argument, with respect tonight, that more time was needed to discuss it all simply does not stand up.We’ve had the great debate it’s 10 lanes not 8 - the world has moved on. 5. The old Cabinet reversed the 10 lane recommendation back to 8 on 10th August 2010 for political reasons I believe- the people were not happy. By 5th May 2011 the Electorate had clearly had enough of , amongst other things, the apparent deafness of the then New Lodge political team and voted decisively to give us the biggest Council leadership change in 20 years – and quite right too! 6.The old administration, in my view, was squandering a once in 50 years opportunity but thankfully an excellent new team that listens to the people has taken over the Project. Council Leader Julian Daly and deputy Mike Wakely are professional finance and structural engineering experts respectively. For the first time since 2004, I am now totally satisfied that we have a first rate technically professional IN HOUSE project team that we can all trust. I congratulate both of them and their team, and the officers, on an absolutely brilliant re-engineering to 10 lanes of the Main Pool within budget . I was on site today , the 10 lane piles are literally set in concrete now – a special tribute to Willmott Dixon Construction Ltd for their flexibility and pragmatism under severe time pressure – you are a credit to British engineering, well done. 7. This call-in is somewhat shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted with respect. I recommend to anybody still with blinkers on and earplugs to throw them away and join with me and the people generally to unite behind this excellent new Cabinet, the officers , and Willmott Dixon. 8. I am sure such a recommendation would enjoy the unanimous support of this Committee. 9. Long live democracy and the exciting new 10 lane centre opening here in St.Albans next year. Thank you. David Gilroy. www.pooltoosmall.com 26 July 2011. |
Keep In TouchStay up to date with our announcements: |
Announcements:TEN LANE LODGE FLAGSHIP STEAMS AHEAD-27 JULY 2011.
FINAL WORD ON POOL? HERTSAD 7 JULY 2011 PAGE 12.
POOL SIZE DEBATE WON'T GO AWAY - HERTSAD 7 JULY 2011 PAGES 10 & 12.
POOL PLAN WELCOME- HERTSAD 23 JUNE 2011 PAGE 11.
POOLTOOSMALL's FOUNDERS VISIT BECONTREE HEATH LEISURE CENTRE-18 JUNE 2011.
HISTORIC RESULT FOR POOLTOOSMALL- SADC PRESS RELEASE 15 JUNE 2011.
HISTORY BECKONS FOR NEW COUNCIL CABINET TEAM MEETING - TUESDAY 7 JUNE 2011.
FRESH SUPPORT FOR LARGER LODGE POOL. 12 JUNE 2011.
COUNCIL NEWBODGE POLITICIANS GET THE HIGH JUMP! ELECTION RESULTS FRIDAY 6 MAY 2011.
DAWN OF A NEW ERA- 18 MAY 2011.
1-10 of 149 |
