More than 1,000 people signed a petition to save a leisure pool in Deptford within 24 hours of a local campaign’s launch.  

It emerged recently that the Wavelengths leisure pool might be closed for good, with the council citing hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of losses per year.  

See more: Deptford: No date for Wavelengths leisure pool reopening

Wavelengths Deptford leisure pool repair costs £700K

Wavelengths Leisure Centre, which has a leisure pool with flumes and a 25-metre fitness pool, has not reopened to swimmers since the first lockdown. 

The centre’s gym reopened in line with Government guidance last month - the fitness pool is not set to reopen until this summer as it is undergoing “significant repair works”.    

The leisure pool will remain closed, with no reopening date set - locals have said it would be “unacceptable” to keep it closed and deprive children of the space.    

However, the council said the leisure pool “needs even more significant work” than the 25-metre one, with estimated repair costs of £700,000.  

On May 5 local residents launched a campaign to “save the much-loved Wavelengths leisure pool”. At the time of writing their petition had more than 1,550 signatures. 

It calls on the mayor and council to “work with the local community to reopen the leisure pool at prices that remain affordable to all”. 

Campaign founder Anne-Marie said: “Wavelengths is a treasured resource for our children and families in the most ethnically diverse area of Lewisham.  

“As children recover from the impact of Covid, it’s even more important to invest in their wellbeing.” 

Rabiya McKeverene said: “Wavelengths was always packed pre-lockdown and is a vital resource to this diverse community now more than ever before.  

“I honestly feel that shutting this pool will affect the most deprived and vulnerable of the community, widening health inequalities and reducing quality of life for the most needy. Please keep this pool open.” 

Locals have also asked why CIL funding generated from development in the Evelyn ward could not be used to repair and reopen the pool - the council has declined to comment on this.   

A Lewisham Council spokesperson previously told the local democracy service: “Wavelengths is an important community asset in Deptford.   

“We have extensively upgraded Wavelengths over the past few months, spending over £300,000 at the centre, including the full retiling of the 25-metre pool to guarantee its life for the next 20 years.   

“This pool will re-open this summer.  

“The leisure pool also needs extensive investment to bring it back into operation – we estimate this will cost around £700,000.   

“In addition, the leisure pool runs at a significant financial deficit due to very high utility bills because of the large water area and high ceilings in the pool hall. This loss is in the region of £400,000 a year.  

“When making decisions about investments of this size, it’s important we speak to leisure users and the wider community to make sure we are funding facilities that will be well used and meet residents’ needs.”  

The spokesperson said “no decisions will be made” until residents have been consulted about options for the leisure pool.   

“If improvements to the second pool are made then the council will have to consider which funding streams are available to invest in the facility,” she added.