NEW LODGE TILE REPLACEMENT LATEST AS AT THURSDAY 16TH MAY 2013.   The Main Pool shallow end depth has reverted to 1.2 metres. The water temperature is a very agreeable 29.9C - can the operator keep it that way please - nothing like listening to customers? Phase 3 now begins with retiling of group changing rooms and surrounds. See plans in New Lodge foyer now. Click on http://www.everyoneactive.com/tabid/1756/Default.aspx and follow the links there to see the detailed online plans for the whole replacement project. If in doubt phone the New Lodge on 01727 736080. POOLTOOSMALL MEET SADC/SLM OVER NEW LODGE BLOCKOUT REPORT 2-1ST MAY 2013. A 2 hour meeting between PoolTooSmall and SADC/SLM on 1st May 2013 at the Council offices was highly productive and we can report a substantial reduction in Main Pool blockouts. More later. RUGBY SPECIAL -VERULAMIUM PARK ST.ALBANS-THURSDAY 2ND MAY 2013. SLM'S WESTMINSTER WARRIORS IN SOUTH EAST REGION'S TOUCH RUGBY TOURNAMENT.     PoolTooSmall's leader and occasional photographer ( with his new camera) was minding his own business ( as he always does) on his way to the New Westminster Lodge (NWL) for his daily half mile swim when he happened upon the flagship NWL's management in fancy dress - oh it's sporting gear. They are pictured here (left) making the W sign for Westminster Warriors ( a historic first ever picture) before doing battle in the first of their 11 games today in the SLM SE Region's Touch Rugby tournament. In the middle it looks like knobbly knees and shades of glamour against the background of the New Lodge Flagship on a glorious sunny day in our Cathedral City. And on the right it is called "stretching" - the lengths customer service will go to! And far right Jane and Lesley with St.Alban in the background watching it all! When our reporter left in the afternoon Regional Allstars and Watford were unbeaten after 6 games with Westminster Warriors third with one loss. It finished with Watford the winners with Westminster Warriors third. Sounds to us like Good Weather and Inspired SLM Organisation were the real winners- well done everyone! CLICK BELOW FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS OF EARLIER REPORTS. INTRODUCTION.  St. Albans District Council plan to replace Westminster Lodge Leisure Centre with a new swimming and leisure complex on the same site. The new centre will have a 25 metre by 8 lane main pool, no diving boards and no flumes. We are enthusiastic at the prospect of a new facility, but we believe that the current plans do not specify enough pool space for the district's existing needs, particularly given the recent Bricket Wood closure, and that the proposed new facility cannot possibly provide sufficient water space to meet the ever increasing demand of the coming decades (see our handy visual guide to changes in the district's water space). The new project now has planning permission (you can read our account of the planning meeting here). Tendering has been completed , and a total fiasco erupted with chosen contractor Michael McNamara Co having gone bust on Thursday 11th November 2010. The SADC in house political team showed their continuing technical and managerial incompetence by not finding the £1billion McNamara debt after 5 months investigation whereas PoolTooSmall found it online in 30 seconds!
And by early 2011. SADC signed a contract with Willmott Dixon Construction Ltd in February 2011 to build the St.Albans NEWBODGE - a poisoned chalice for the people of St.Albans to tolerate and pay for over the next several decades. Read why the St.Albans NEWBODGE was at the time Unfit for Purpose ,a White Elephant or a Pig in a Poke on this website. But mercifully there was a dramatic transformation for the better!
On 5th May 2011 , there was a complete change of Council management following local elections. New Cabinet led by Cllr Daly immediately swung into action with a "root and branch " review of the New Lodge Project. Read more on our headlines above and under "announcements" as the new situation unfolds. What an improvement it has been since May 2011as Deputy Executive Leader of SADC , Leisure Portfolio Holder and structural engineer Cllr Mike Wakely sat down with officers then Willmott Dixon to produce a brilliant expansion of the new Main Pool by 25% ! It is now built in re-inforced concrete and has passed it's water retention test. It's all systems go on the New Lodge site . And by early 2012. Only last week - construction of the new service road off Holywell Hill began - another central plank in our campaign achieved! Stay tuned here to the PoolTooSmall website - the only website to bring you regular weekly/fortnightly reports and pictures of all the happenings on site and ,crucially sometimes, in the Council Chamber. Bookmark us NOW! 3rd MAY 2012. It's that time of year again to have YOUR SAY on local developments by voting for a councillor of YOUR choice in District Elections. PLEASE VOTE ON THURSDAY 3RD MAY 2012 IN DISTRICT ELECTIONS- IT'S YOUR DEMOCRATIC RIGHT!
For general details of our campaign please see the following:
Our handy visual guide to changes in the district's water space, and accounts of current overcrowding in pool too full
We are here for you 24/7 on newpooltoosmall@ntlworld.com Let us know what you think.
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