Swimming pool set to reopen after £114K revamp

A swimming pool in the Royton area of Oldham will reopen on Monday (September 22) following a £114,000 revamp.

Council bosses say the upgrade at the council leisure organisation Oldham Active’s Royton Leisure Centre will benefit the community ‘for years to come’.
The pool closed in August for essential maintenance when the pool tank lining began to fail, causing water loss. That resulted in Odham Active taking the opportunity to bring forward planned improvement works.

The largest chunk of the investment, £78,000, was dedicated to replacing the pool tank lining and making improvements to the steps in the small pool. 

A further £26,000 was invested in water quality enhancements, including a new water filtration system, upgraded pool circulation infrastructure and the installation of new valves and piping in the plant room to boost water cleanliness. The remaining £10,000 was spent on new energy efficient lighting throughout the pool area.

During the upgrade, Oldham Active dechlorinated more than 700,000 litres of pool water and returned it to United Utilities for the North West water system.

While the pool was temporarily closed, the Oldham Active aquatics team relocated more than 1,100 swimming lessons to other sites.

Coun Peter Dean, cabinet member for culture and leisure, said: “The fantastic swimming pool upgrades will be a great benefit for the residents of Royton.

“It enables us to help even more people live happy, healthy lives. The Oldham Active team do a brilliant job supporting people to make healthier choices. 

“So, for anyone thinking about taking that first step on their fitness journey, I couldn’t recommend their services enough.”

Stuart Lockwood, chief executive of Oldham Active, said: “We are incredibly proud to reopen Royton Leisure Centre’s swimming pool today with these impressive upgrades. While we understand the frustration caused by the temporary closure, the pool is now back and significantly better than before – more environmentally sustainable, safer and with improved water quality.

“I want to thank our customers for their patience and understanding during this essential work. Special recognition must also go to our Oldham Active staff who went above and beyond to relocate hundreds of swimming lessons, ensuring our learners could continue their lessons without interruption.

“The pool reopening represents Oldham Active’s ongoing commitment to providing high-quality leisure facilities that support community health and accessible recreation for all residents.

“Learning to swim and regular aquatic exercise provide tremendous health benefits for people of all ages. 

“These improvements ensure Royton Leisure Centre can continue to be a cornerstone of community health and wellbeing for generations to come.”