Behind the Headlines – Isles Swimming Pools

You will be aware that COVID-19 has led to challenges in terms of resource and maintenance in some of our facilities – in particular the four swimming pools in the isles.

All pools and leisure facilities in Orkney shut down with the first lockdown in March 2020, and while many facilities have reopened, there has been a number of ongoing issues at the isles swimming pools.

The pools in Westray, Sanday, Stronsay and North Walls are much-loved by their communities – and it’s not just those on the four islands who benefit from the pools, Papay and Eday pupils also learn to swim at the Westray and Sanday pools respectively. It is therefore entirely understandable that there has been a growing level of frustration expressed at facilities not being open or fully open for long periods, therefore we thought it would be helpful to provide an overview of the situation and answers to some frequently asked questions.

The main issue is not financial, there’s been challenges around maintenance and ensuring the appropriate levels of trained staff/volunteers, such as lifeguards, are in place once the service visits have been carried out and the pools are in a position to open.

Who is responsible for the pools?

The Council is responsible for the swimming pools which were built on school sites, however the responsibility for  their day-to-day operation is thanks to the voluntary efforts of the isles’ Community Associations and other volunteers on the islands. The Council is very grateful for their support in terms of the voluntary work they do and without their presence it would not be possible for the pools to operate.

How much does it cost to run the Council-operated pools?

As time passes, increasing utility costs and equipment ages, the maintenance and general upkeep has become increasingly challenging. It costs around £350,000 per year to run the pools. That is divided as follows:
Stromness: £312,000; Pierowall: £11,700; Stronsay: £11,700; Sanday: £12,100 and North Walls: £8,800

What is the current situation at each pool?

Sanday Swimming Pool

A contractor undertook a temporary repair to the air handling unit and further investigation and repair is required. The pool is currently open and waiting for its annual servicing and other repairs and maintenance. The pool plant is reaching the end of its working life and is in need of replacement along with a refurbishment of the pool shell to replace missing tiles and regrout the entire pool tank.  We will work with stakeholders to arrange the most suitable time to undertake the works as quickly as possible however a pool shutdown period will be required to be scheduled for this work to be completed. The Council will try to ensure this is scheduled to minimise the inconvenience caused wherever possible.

Stronsay Swimming Pool

The pool is partially open for school sessions when lifeguards are available. The training of lifeguards will recommence in the next few weeks in preparation for the facility to reopen to the public, it is anticipated that this will take 2-3 weeks. Recruitment of a relief Leisure Attendant is in progress with a successful candidate appointed so interruptions to the service can be minimized in future.

Westray Swimming Pool

The pool has suffered an unfortunate run of mechanical failures. There is an outstanding repair to one of the two filters which will be repaired during the annual service visit. In the recent storms, damage was caused to the ceiling cladding at the pool causing a leak which is being resolved as a matter of urgency however due to the bad weather of late it has caused some delays in the contractor getting out to the island.

The pool is currently closed and before it reopens lifeguard training is required to be completed. A new Royal Life Saving Society Trainer Assessor (TA) is in the process of undertaking their probation period through training opportunities arranged by the Council. A TA has the duty of training new lifeguards, has responsibility for running the mandatory monthly training required to maintain a lifeguarding certificate, and assessing candidates. However, they cannot assess candidates they have trained so assessing must be carried out by an independent TA. This is why each island normally train the lifeguards at their pool, and then a visiting TA will come to assess.

North Walls Swimming Pool

Unfortunately, the pool here remains closed, but the residents have a strong will to change this.

Following a period with a depleted Community Association, there is now a Community Association committee with a sub-committee in place who are hoping to drive this forward. Unfortunately there is no Royal Life Saving Society Trainer Assessor based on Hoy, which will need to be resolved with lifeguards recruited and trained before the facility can open.  Community representatives have been elected who will be responsible for steering the re-opening and how that is managed with support from the Council.

The Council is working with the Head Teacher of North Walls Community School to explore potential options for pupils to get access to swimming lessons.

Lastly, the pool is awaiting a permanent repair to a valve which controls the flow of water through the filter tank.  If not completed before the annual servicing visit then the repair will happen during that visit.

Can you give a date for full reopenings?

At this point in time, it is not possible to say when Stronsay, Westray and North Walls pools will open fully given the mix of staffing, volunteer and repairs required.

Who is responsible for the maintenance of the pools?

Pool plant servicing - including the air handling units - is arranged by the Council.

Servicing is currently overdue, but the contract has now been awarded  to Aqua Leisure and they are booked for a service visit in April – the first available slot. They will undertake as many urgent repairs as is possible during their week in Orkney.

For air handling unit servicing at the pools there is an order out to get that done as soon as possible with confirmation of a date from the specialist contractor. It is anticipated this will be towards the end of March before this work begins.

Is there anything I can do to help as an isles resident?

Absolutely! Please consider whether or not you could become a volunteer lifeguard at the pool, or whether you could undertake the training to become a Trainer Assessor. All pools are keen to have as many folk trained as volunteer lifeguards as possible, so anyone with an interest in this role to help their community ensure the pools are fully operational should get in touch with their respective Community Association.

Our islands offer up a fantastic array of things to enjoy

We are incredibly fortunate in Orkney to enjoy a wide range of sporting and leisure facilities spread throughout the Mainland and Outer Isles.

This, combined with fantastic outdoor spaces on our doorstep, means there is always something for everyone to enjoy.

The pandemic may have led to the initial closure of our sport and leisure facilities, but it also opened up a new-found interest for others in walking, running and cycling in particular.