http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/7660812.stm





after 10 years of battling the campaign comes to an end

the county made it quite clear that come the end of october they would fill the pool in, this is due to pressures and concerns about health and safety, with underage youngsters constantly drinking in the pool and park area if one of these youngsters broke into the pool area and had an accident there could be serious implications

the issue is the committee had identified possible grant sources to rebuild/restore the lido but the studies conducted by two companies, one commissioned by the county, the other commissioned by the pool committee clearly identified that the day to day running costs would see the pool run at a loss, and the pool committee have not found any grant sources that would help with the running cost associated with the daily running of any pool project,

therefore whilst we had identified possible grant sources none of these grant organisation would be likely to pay as much as 500k to build a pool that would probably run at a loss

at the latest pool committee meeting there were not enough volunteers willing to dedicate the the time to continue looking for grants and willing to take on as volunteers all the health and safety risks that would be associated with a derelict pool half full of water

previously in 2006 the county had made it clear that they had wanted the pool committee to buy the pool and park area for a pound and had wanted the committee to redevelp the whole area ourselves and in 2006 they gave us until 2008 to find funds and to agree a to the lease

now that 2008 has arrived they have changed their stance slightly, where as previously they wanted the committee to redevelop the park area, they have committed themselves by saying that they would redevelop the park with a new multi surface play area (an astra pitch) and also a water splash park

whilst the committee members decided they couldn't take on the responsibility of the pool, the local community council are meeting county council officers to discuss options available and are yet to decide wether or not the community council could possibly take on the lease of the pool

in previous meetings in 2006 and 2007, the community council had considered this option and had decided this was not feasible for the community council, however they have been offered the chance to reconsider the option and as stated they are yet to meet to discuss



http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/7660812.stm





Lido campaigners end long battle

The pool at Hendy was built by volunteer miners in the early 1930s
Campaigners fighting to reopen a 75-year-old outdoor swimming pool have reluctantly thrown in the towel.

It was estimated it would cost close to £500,000 to get the lido at Hendy near Llanelli up and running again.

Residents fought for years to raise funds but the campaign committee has voted to end the struggle.

Carmarthenshire Council has pledged money to develop the site with a new artificial sports pitch and other facilities instead.

The pool had been closed since 2002 due to safety issues.

It will now be filled in and the buildings demolished.

Campaigner and councillor Steve Lloyd-Janes said the decision had been taken very reluctantly.

"Obviously it's been a long battle but if we are realistic at least we might get something out of it," he said.

"It was not the £500,000 that was the issue but the actual running costs because there are grants out there to possibly develop a new pool.

"It is somewhere where if you lived in the surrounding areas as a child you all went there in the summer, nearly everybody in this area learnt to swim there.

"If we have an astro pitch, which they say they will develop, it will be something that youngsters of today could use and obviously there will be a lot less maintenance."

Hendy Lido was just one of a handful of outdoor pools left in Wales.

It was built by volunteer miners and opened in the early 1930s.

The campaign to save it was first started in the late 1990s and has seen numerous public meetings and petitions.