Sir – As a keen swimmer, I am all for the swimming club thriving and I understand that means having a decent venue.
However, the City of Oxford Swimming Club is not the only interested party in the future of Temple Cowley Pools and with a bit of imagination/creative thinking, it should surely not be difficult to find a solution which works for all parties.
The drawbacks to the current site seems to be ones that mainly or solely affect swimming galas, namely parking and seating.
With regard to parking: many people think we will have to rethink our dependence on motor transport sooner rather than later — to build a facility where its main advantage is the amount of parking available is really not looking at the long term.
Coaches currently use the business park for parking at galas — even if they didn't drop people off at the centre first, as I believe they do, is it too much for people pursuing a sport quite so actively to walk the short distance from business park to the pools?
With regard to seating: surely this could be improved in a refurbishment, with all parties working together to meet the needs of all users?
Temple Cowley Pools (including its gym and sauna) are used by many individuals and organisations, and is — like Barton, Blackbird Leys or Ferry — a part of the community as well as being used by people who live outside its immediate area.
Charlotte Barrow, Cowley
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