The first steps towards building Ripon’s new swimming pool will be taken this week when experts begin testing the ground conditions at the site.
The new pool will be built next to Ripon Leisure Centre on Dallamires Lane in the city. It will replace the ageing Ripon Spa Baths and, along with enhanced sport and fitness facilities at the leisure centre, will provide Ripon residents with a modern complex fit for the future.
The survey work begins today (Wednesday 17 January) on the leisure centre car park and will involve amongst other things a geophysical survey, which looks at the existing ground conditions on site in relation to the development.
Some sections of the car park will need to be cordoned off for the ground testing to take place, but it will remain open whilst the work, expected to last four to six weeks, is carried out.
The new pool and leisure centre complex is scheduled to be finished by December 2019, and will feature a five lane, 25 metre swimming pool, an extended gym, and a refurbishment of the existing leisure centre.
Councillor Stanley Lumley is Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for culture, tourism and sport. He said:
This is the first ground investigation work to take place at the site and represents the first visible signs of delivering the much needed new pool and revitalised leisure centre for Ripon.
The new wet and dry complex will provide a massive boost to health and wellbeing in Ripon and the surrounding area.
The survey work will involve some minor disruption in the car park to enable drilling to take place but it will be worth it for the end result of a great new addition to the city.
