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Published:
December 10, 2007
700
residents sign petition to save Burnham-On-Sea swimming pool
 Over
700 people have already signed a petition calling for Burnham-On-Sea's
swimming pool to be saved from closure.
The
signatures have been collected in the first three days of the
campaign to save the Berrow Road facility from cost-cutting plans
by Sedgemoor District Council.
Burnham-On-Sea.com
reported last Wednesday
how the cash-strapped council had announced plans to shut the
Berrow Road pool by April 2008 because it is losing up to £250,000
a year. The proposals have been met with shock and dismay by pool
users and local residents, who say a swimming facility is essential
in Burnham.
 Pat
Pusill, Team Manager at Burnham Swimming Club, told Burnham-On-Sea.com
she was "delighted" with the huge support shown by local
residents.
"We
have had overwhelming support so far, with 20 sheets of signatures
completed over the weekend and many still being filled in around
the town," she said.
"We're
really pleased - it shows the strength of opinion in Burnham to
keep this swimming pool open."
She
added that if the pool is forced to shut, many clubs would be
affected. "These include Burnham Swimming Club, Burnham Disabled
Club, Burnham Penguin Club, Sedgemoor Life Saving Club, and Sedgemoor
Learn to Swim Lessons."
 It's
not too late to sign the petitions - forms on on display at Burnham
Swimming Pool on the main notice board, Boots The Chemists at
the main counter, and GW Hurleys Newsagents at the main counter.
Pat
said the campaign was about to stepped up, with regional media
coverage.
A
reporting team from ITV West was at the Berrow Road swimming pool
on Monday afternoon (as pictured) to interview Sarah and young
members of her Club.
It
comes as 'SOS' - the Save Our Swimming pool campaign group - is
due to hold its first meeting of supporters this Thursday. The
group is to start discussions on the various options for keeping
a swimming facility in the town.
 Organiser
Tom Ashton said on Monday he already has a growing list of supporters
and is due to meet local politicians in coming days to "ramp
up the pressure".
He
told Burnham-On-Sea.com: "We don't plan to give the council
an easy ride on this."
"We're
going to be stepping up the pressure on Cllr Ann Bown, Portfolio
Holder for Leisure, Culture and Sport, and Duncan McGinty, Leader
of Sedgemoor District Council, to get some action."
Tom,
who has been using the pool since 1980, added: "There's a
huge amount of support in Burnham to keep a swimming pool here
- we can't just let this facility go without a fight."
RELATED
LINKS:
'We'll
fight closure of Burnham swimming pool' vow campaigners
Burnham
swimming pool 'may permanently close by April 2008'
101-year-old
swimmer joins campaign to keep pool open
Burnham
Swimming Pool receives top leisure award
New
owner sought for Burnham Swimming Pool
Swimming pool future hangs
in the balance
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