SIR- New Listening Council is Improving New Lodge Facilities Mix and Within Budget!

On behalf of campaign group PoolTooSmall on www.pooltoosmall.com may I comment on the recent remarks made in Hertsad by Cllr Rowlands on 23 June page 2 and lately those of Mr Twaddell on 30 June page 12 respectively regarding the New Lodge poolside spa and other facilities in the overall facilities mix?

Cllr Rowlands conveniently ignores the fact that even with no poolside health suite there is still well over £2 million’s worth of multiple spa facilities just 15 metres away on the complex!

Mr Twaddell really should read the published facilities mix as it was and what it will be – a huge improvement and within budget. The new 10 lane Main Pool ensures overload free service for at least 3 decades. Incidentally, the newly opened Becontree Leisure Centre’s 25 metre by 10 lane pool similar to ours ,will host Olympic 2012 water polo training straight away . A potential financial bonus for St. Albans soon enough?

Next , reserving judgement on roof solar panel options is a very wise move by the new team because it now appears , for cost and conversion efficiency reasons,that electric photovoltaic (PV) cells may not necessarily be the best solution for the new complex and that other technology should be considered. We have time on our side to get this right.

Finally ,what I do know is that at long last, the New Lodge Project is now in safe and technically professional hands. Executive Leader Cllr Julian Daly and deputy Cllr Mike Wakely are finance and structural engineering experts respectively- excellent leaders to drive this project through. Let us also not forget the considerable support given them by officers- Chief Executive Daniel Goodwin, Head of Leisure Richard Shwe, Head of Legal Mr Lovelady , Lead Officer James Blake, Head of Finance Mr Colm O’Callaghan and Project Manager Ms Julie Simpson. Last but not least let us also thank main contractor Willmott Dixon Construction Ltd and S&P Architects for their pragmatism and flexibility these last few weeks. Council Decision 55 of 15^th June 2011 on its’ website encapsulates this.

I commend to you that we now support this dynamic, new , listening team – they have impressed thus far , long may it continue!

PoolTooSmall on www.pooltoosmall.com has no political status – we 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