York Waterworld to close for good at the end of November
Having echoed to the happy shrieks of children for years, the Monks Cross pool and fitness centre’s last day of action will be Sunday, November 30, City of York Council has announced.
Although a replacement pool will include facilities for younger children, it will not boast the same chutes and slides that made Waterworld such a hit with older kids and teenagers.
The announcement shortens the life of the facility even further.
When the council’s Cabinet agreed to close the facility in September, ahead of the construction of a York Community Stadium with new swimming pools, it was earmarked to go “just prior to Christmas 2014”.
“Due to declining visitor numbers and the ongoing threat of costly emergency repairs, the forecasted losses for the pool and gym are increasing, which make it no longer viable,” City of York Council said today. So the closure date has been brought forward.
The council said contracted staff “have been kept fully informed of the closure date” and will continue to be paid until the end of December.
“York Waterworld and Fitness Centre customers will be offered membership at both Energise and Yearsley Pool to continue their sport and leisure activities, while we prepare to build a fantastic new facility,” said Sally Burns, the council’s director for communities and neighbourhoods.
Future facilities
Under current plans, the York Community Stadium and leisure centre will open in July/ August 2016.
It will include a 25-metre, six-lane swimming pool. There will also be a separate teaching pool and fun pool “with exciting water features for children”, Sally Burns said.
The pools will not have the chutes and slides that were such a popular feature of Waterworld.
There will be “jumps, sprinklers and other water play features for younger children”, a council spokesperson said.
“Older ones and teens are catered for with the complex’s climbing and high ropes offering.”
The complex will also include:
“The plans for the new stadium, leisure centre and community hub, are truly ground breaking and represent a scheme that is sure to become a flagship project regionally and nationally,” said Chris Symons, director of development for GLL, which runs Waterworld and will create the new stadium and leisure complex.
I HATE THIS AND I HATE YOU BRING BACK WATERWORLD 2016
I took my son to waterworld once and it was so busy and there were hundreds of children packed in. The water was yellow with urine and there was a turd in one of the pools. My son went underwater and was face to face with a ginormous bogey with a trail of snot on the end. He opened his mouth in shock but ended up inhaling the bogey. It was stuck in his throat and he threw up. It was fun for children but a nightmare for anyone over the age of 12. Unhygienic.
We are devastated. Why oh why do people not see that investment in these facilities actually makes a bigger profit. Why do places like centre parks innovate so much. With only Bridlington replacing the chutes it will at least give them some income. Teenagers can climb anywhere but they can’t find water chutes and pit themselves against water challenges without adults making brave decisions to give them the opportunity. Such a shame. I agree with the previous post re exercise fun and confidence. It should have been open more than the holidays and serious swimming done else where. Kids are gutted
It’s absolutely disgusting that a brilliant and almost new facility like this is being demolished. The new pools are no replacement whatsoever. If they’d actually maintained it properly, it would have been good for many more years. After all, it was built by the same company that built the Manchester Aquatic Centre, and that hasn’t needed repairs!
It deserved better. It’s only fault was that York didn’t build it (it was Ryedale) and York have always resented that.
Absolutely disgusting that this should close. My children are gutted. Not everyone wants a plain old pool. The lazy river and chutes encourage kids to have fun and they dont even realise they are exercising. Another council cut for the benefit of themselves not the kids of today
I agree, we live in Selby and they have just built a new pool due to the old one being destroyed by fire, and they have done the same thing- built a boring old pool with no slides-kids don,t want to just swim lengths, there is nothing to do for teenagers in this country-it sucks! We have taken our teenage son and his friends to both Doncaster Dome and Waterworld at York on numerous occasions with his friends and both were always full of families enjoying themselves. We need more facilities like these, not less-this country is depressing enough as it is , what with the lousy weather and the expense of other things to do, at least a trip to the swimming pool didn’t cost too much and it was fun!
“there is nothing to do for teenagers in this country-it sucks!” What a comment, try going to West Africa where the kids are perfectly happy playing on the street with an empty water bottle. There is loads for kids to do if you look around in the country.