Dolphin Centre works to be extended
In a special Cabinet meeting held today (Friday 11 August 2023) in Darlington Town Hall it was agreed to extend the Dolphin Centre Main Pool Project to undertake additional works.
The centre’s popular swimming pool is currently undergoing structural repairs as part of an ongoing programme of work to ensure the building, which is more than 40 years old, continues to be fit for the 21st Century.
The Dolphin Centre provides an excellent range of health and wellbeing activities as well as a key leisure and social venue in the town centre.
The plan put forward in the meeting was well received with councillors recognising the vital role the Dolphin Centre plays in the town centre in terms of the health and wellbeing benefits for residents and also the local town centre economy as visitors to the centre also spend money in local businesses.
Current work on the main pool, which has been closed since January 2023, was set to be complete by October this year. However, it was found that additional works is required which would mean a further closure within the next 18 months. This would incur further costs. The Cabinet agreed today to extend the current closure of the main pool to January 2024 to allow for these additional works to take place.
This would prevent the pool being opened in October only to close again within a year.
Councillor Matthew Roche, Cabinet member for Health & Housing, said: “I am pleased that today’s decision has been made and that this additional work can be undertaken in parallel with the current maintenance.
“The Dolphin Centre is a valuable and much- loved asset for all of us and we will continue to maintain and develop the centre to ensure it can be enjoyed for years to come. The training pool and toddler pools remain open and we thank all centre users for their patience whilst this essential work is carried out.”
The water education programme will not be affected by the ongoing work on the main pool, with hundreds of swimming lessons continuing to be delivered in the training pool. There will also continue to be a temporary pool programme, offering lane swimming, water aerobics and family sessions.
The Cabinet report can be seen here: https://democracy.darlington.gov.uk/documents/s19673/230811%20S%20Dolphin%20Centre%20Pool%20Repairs.pdf