Families protesting against the possible closure of a community centre where legionella bacteria was found say the plan would be “devastating”.
About 200 people demonstrated outside the Woolston Hub in Warrington, Cheshire, this week, calling on the local council to keep it open.
The site, which has a leisure centre, library and a GP surgery, has been partially shut since July after part of the roof fell into the swimming pool. It was then fully closed in September when legionella bacteria was found in the water supply.
A Warrington Borough Council spokesperson said legionella remained present despite disinfection and it would cost about £3m to repair the hub amid “escalating budget pressures”.
“While no decisions have yet been made about the future of Woolston Neighbourhood Hub, the permanent closure of the site is one of the options being considered.”
Indu Raju, who works as a GP at a separate site and used the centre to keep fit, said: “Closure would be devastating. In the long-term, hubs like Woolston play a crucial part in managing and preventing chronic illness.
“They reduce the financial burden on primary care services, which are overstretched, but also on adult social care and hospital care.”
Vicki said she usually walked to the centre with her autistic son, adding: “It’s convenient for us, we don’t drive, we live in the local area and other swimming places are too far to travel to. We use this place weekly as a lifeline.”
Diane Taylor, who retired after working at the hub for 25 years, said there would be a “huge hole on this side of Warrington” if it shut.
“There are other facilities but there are at capacity, especially at peak times.
“This is a very well-used centre. Membership is higher than ever.”
The hub, which is used by schools and sports clubs, was expanded by the council in 2013, having previously operated solely as a leisure centre.
“It’s fundamentally wrong to spend all that money and then to talk about closure now,” Ms Taylor added.
The council have launched a public consultation that will run until 2 January.