The KLPA will be holding its monthly merchandise sale on Saturday 28 May 2022 from 9 to 11 am, at the Ladies’ Pond. We will have hi-viz knitted hats, mugs and books for sale at £10 each. Mugs and hi-viz knitted hats can be bought in bulk, four for £35 (including mix and match options). We also have bright coloured silicon swim hats for sale at £5. We can take payment by cash, cheque or card. The knitted hats and silicon swim hats help with visibility at the pond in poor light conditions so they are helpful to the lifeguards. The hats, mugs and books all make great presents too.
Judicial Review Many of you have been asking about the progress of the recent Judicial Review, supported by the KLPA, to challenge the impact of the charging regime at the bathing ponds. We are still waiting for a result from the High Court, and will let members know as soon as there is any news.
As summer approaches and the evenings draw out it will soon be time for another KLPA newsletter to appear, as if it were a part of the pond ecology.
The popularity of the KLPA Newsletter is down to the creative contributions we receive from members like you. If you would like to contribute to the summer newsletter, please send your original work for inclusion by 5pm on Sunday 12 June 2022.
Wondering what to send? How about an account of a new swimming place which you have discovered in the UK or beyond, or of another swimming group which you have met when out on such adventures. Do you have an original poem or artwork to contribute? Have you been involved in campaigns to support access to open water swimming places, or efforts to combat the pollution of these places? If so, we would love to include these accounts in the newsletter, with supporting images.
Please email your contributions to klpamailbox@gmail.com by 5 pm on Sunday 12 June 2022.
Recently, the KLPA asked members for feedback on proposed adaptations to the changing room building at the Ladies’ Pond. Members identified a number of issues with the City’s initial proposals including:
Creating a through route from the pathway, via the toilets to the changing rooms would create a congested space which may present challenges to some disabled swimmers e.g. those with a visual impairment or reduced mobility.
Having a combined accessible toilet and shower room, would reduce the availability of the accessible toilet.
Any adaptations to the buildings need to be preceded by rectifying the damp and drainage issues in the buildings, otherwise the adaptations are likely to fail
KLPA Committee members met with City managers, the architect, the City’s accessibility consultant and project managers on 5 May 2022 to discuss the proposals. In the meantime we had received confirmation that the buildings constructed in 2016 did not comply with building regulations in respect of disability access in a number of ways when they went up (e.g. see photo above from accessibility report produced in 2018).
Following the meeting on 5 May 2022 a series of alternative options has been proposed by the City and we would like your updated feedback. This survey is open to all members, and weare particularly interested in feedback from members who have a disability and who want to comment on the 3 proposed layouts:
Option 1 – Split the WC block in half, side to side. Two toilets accessed from the pathway and two accessed from changing room. One of two inside WCs has grab rails. Combined accessible WC/shower room created, which is enlarged by removing the panelling in the existing accessible WC (plan here).
Option 2 – Split the WC block in half, side to side. Two toilets accessed from the pathway and two accessed from changing room. One of two inside WCs has grab rails. Combined accessible WC/shower room created, which is enlarged by removing the panelling in the existing accessible WC. Create an enhanced additional changing cubicle inside main changing room (plan here).
Option 3 – Leave WC block much as it is now but one WC cubicle has grab rails. Combined accessible WC/shower room created, which is enlarged by removing the panelling in the existing accessible WC (plan here).
Now, please answer the brief survey below (closes at 6pm on Friday 20 May 2022):
The City has decided not to alter the external shower area at this stage but we have emphasised the need to rectify the drainage issues here, as well as damp elsewhere in the buildings. Otherwise the adaptations are likely to fail.
There are some relatively quick fixes such as more pegs in the changing cubicles which have been agreed to.
If you have any further comments which you would like to share with the City, please email via the addresses below and copy to klpamailbox@gmail.com.
