Helensburgh residents face month without swimming pool in school holidays ahead of Waterfront centre opening

Helensburgh will be without a swimming pool for almost a month after it was confirmed that the current facility would close before the new Waterfront centre opens.

The existing leisure centre will shut its doors on Friday, August 5, with the new centre scheduled to open on Saturday, September 3.

The current pool has remained open throughout the construction phase as planned, but will be closed to allow staff to train and settle in the new facility.

Local clubs will get the chance to try the new pool a few days before it opens to the public.

Helensburgh residents – including young people in the last week of the school holidays – will now have to travel to Dumbarton or Alexandria for their nearest operational swimming pool in the intervening period.

A spokesperson for Argyll and Bute Council said: “Completion of this fantastic new asset for residents and visitors to Helensburgh is almost complete.

“We officially hand over the building to Live Argyll on July 29, with the existing pool closing on August 5.

“A period of settling in and staff training will follow with the gym and studio equipment arriving during this time.

“Live Argyll will invite local clubs to try the pool from August 29. The building and pool will officially open to the public on September 3.”

The new leisure centre was awarded planning permission in January 2019 after a lengthy process which saw a public hearing, in November 2018, only decide to continue the application

It originally had a planned opening date of April 2020, but an “inadvertent technical breach” meant that the opening date was delayed until November 2021. It was then pushed back further to May after delays in the tendering process.

However, Helensburgh residents have been able to see the building taking shape at the front of the town in recent months.