The campaign to safeguard a much-loved public facility for Harlech has taken a big step forward with the good news that the project is to receive £800,000 grant funding.
A partnership between the local community and Gwynedd Council has attracted the grant allocation from the Big Lottery Fund and the Welsh Assembly Government’s Community Asset Transfer Fund.
Last year, Gwynedd Council’s Board voted to transfer Harlech swimming pool to the Harlech and Ardudwy Leisure Ltd group. The transfer hinges on them securing a number of grants, and the Council has been working closely with the group to draw up detailed business plans and grant bids.
Five hundred thousand pounds of the grant award will be spent on capital projects such as building a climbing wall and café and altering the building. The remaining £300,000 will be spent over a five year period on running costs and staffing.
The community group has also secured a conditional offer of nearly £12,000 from Gwynedd Council’s Community Chest fund and is waiting for decisions on a further £324,000 of grant money from various sources.
The leader of Gwynedd Council, Councillor Dyfed Edwards, said:
“Local people told us that they wanted to see the doors of their swimming pool remaining open and as a Council we have worked with them to make this happen.
“This announcement is great news. Local people and Gwynedd Council have worked together as a team to make the community’s vision for their pool a reality. I am delighted that the hard work of everyone involved has paid off.
“Despite the huge financial pressures facing us, I am pleased that the Council has been able to keep Harlech Swimming Pool open for the interim period to give the local committee the time they needed to work on their business plans and grant bids and that we have been able to support them with this process.
“As local councils across the country face up to ever tightening budgets, new and creative ways will have be found to deliver services which councils themselves can simply no longer afford.
“I have no doubt that this project will prove to be a success and that communities across the UK who face losing much-loved local facilities will look to the Harlech model for inspiration.”
