New-look Bebington Oval to be unveiled after pool lanes saga

Nov 19 2008 by Sue McCann, Bromborough and Bebington News

THE long-running saga of the refurbishment of a Wirral leisure centre could finally be at an end when the pool re-opens next week.

The Oval in Bebington – once the location for filming of part of the Oscar-winning movie Chariots of Fire – underwent a £2.43m revamp.

It was closed in June 2007 and was due to re-open at several points throughout 2008.

Confusion over the number of lanes being tiled into the pool was one of the issues which resulted in delays over the summer.

Cabinet member for cultural services Cllr Bob Moon said the pool had been filled and experts were ensuring the chemicals, including chlorine, are set at the right levels before it is finally re-opened to the public.

During the summer Wirral Council finally announced the pool at its flagship sports centre would have the six lanes necessary for swimming competitions after it was revealed not enough lanes were tiled into the refurbished pool.

The mistake at The Oval saw only five lanes tiled into the pool, rather than the six required by the Amateur Swimming Association for competitions to be held there.

At first the council said it would be too expensive to rip up the tiles and make up the extra lane, but later confirmed the pool would be re-tiled.

Explaining the mistake, the authority said it had taken guidance about lane width from the ASA, which gave advice in good faith, unaware the pool was not new-build, but a refurbishment.

The pool is now expected to be opened to the public next Monday.