The Council’s aim is to provide facilities which will get even more people into the water irrespective of age or ability.

Following the refurbishment of the leisure centres at Newbold Comyn and St Nicholas Park and the appointment of Everyone Active to manage the district’s centres there has been a 100% increase in the number of children taking swimming lessons and with around 2000 new homes planned for Kenilworth in the next ten years, the Council expects this to rise even further.

Participation in other water based activities in the district’s centres, including casual swimming by groups of all ages and aqua aerobics are also seeing increased take up.

Despite these encouraging figures, the new leader of Warwick District Council, Andrew Day wants to make it possible for even more people across the district to have regular access to a local pool. 

New plans for Abbey Fields Swimming Pool, which will be considered by the Council’s Executive on 21 August propose increasing the ‘year round’ water space in the town by replacing the existing outdoor pool with a second indoor pool which can be opened up to an adjoining sun terrace in warmer weather. 

Cllr Andrew Day commented;

“Recent figures show that even during the summer months when the outdoor pool is open, the Abbey Fields indoor pool is heavily used throughout the day by users of different ages for lane swimming and the popular aqua classes. Currently, with only one year round water-space, the centre can only run one activity at a time. An additional indoor pool with a moveable floor and disabled access would allow us to diversify and extend our programmes to reach groups of people who are currently unable to access the water.”

The Commissioning Lead for Children's Public Health in Warwickshire commented;

“In Kenilworth, data from the National Child Measurement Programme shows that, by year 6 at school, 1 in 4 children are carrying excess weight. This equates to 14.9% of children who are overweight and a further 10% who are obese. Being physically active helps promote physical and emotional health and wellbeing. Research has shown positive associations between the activity levels of parents and their children and creating opportunities for joint parent-child physical activity such as swimming can be an effective method for increasing activity levels of both parents and children."

Hayden Abbot, Headteacher at Kenilworth School, commented;

“This investment in an additional indoor pool, along with the planned expansion of Kenilworth school sports facilities, will mean that the children and young people of Kenilworth have more opportunity to make sport and physical activity part of their daily routine. Kenilworth is a growing town and it is essential in the coming years, that local sports facilities expand to accommodate the growing number of children who will need to learn to swim, participate in a range of sports, and join local sports clubs.”

The Leisure Development Programme proposals for Abbey Fields Swimming Pool and Castle Farm Recreation Centre will be considered by the Council’s Executive on Wednesday 21 August. The report can now be viewed on the Council’s website.  Architect drawings of the plans are on display at Abbey Fields Swimming Pool.