Leith Waterworld
{{Short description|Water park in Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Use Scottish English|date=May 2013}}
Leith Waterworld was a leisure pool in Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland. It was built on the site of the former Leith Central railway station. It was the only pool in Edinburgh with flumes, and there was also a fast river run. It was closed in January 2012 in order to save funds for the Royal Commonwealth Pool's renovation and re-opening. A campaigning group against the closure, called Splashback, were funded to carry out feasibility studies but the property has been converted into a children's soft-play centre.{{cite web |url=http://local.stv.tv/edinburgh/news/28412-council-alternatives-to-leith-waterworld-closure-not-good-enough/ |title=Council alternatives to Leith Waterworld closure 'not good enough' | Edinburgh News | STV Local |publisher=Local.stv.tv |date=28 November 2011 |accessdate=2 December 2011 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120715084219/http://local.stv.tv/edinburgh/news/28412-council-alternatives-to-leith-waterworld-closure-not-good-enough/ |archive-date=15 July 2012 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-15983234 |title=BBC News - Leith Waterworld to close in January |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date= 1 December 2011|accessdate=2 December 2011}}
History
The pool opened in 1992, and was then closed in November 1999 after problems were found including tiles coming away from walls, electrical problems and rusting structures. It reopened in 2002 and a new multisensory play area was introduced in 2003.{{cite web |date=29 March 2003 |title=Pool play area makes multi-sense |url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/pool_play_area_makes_multi_sense_1_874287 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160317160201/http://www.scotsman.com/news/pool_play_area_makes_multi_sense_1_874287 |archive-date=2016-03-17 |accessdate=2 December 2011 |publisher=Scotsman.com}} Repairs were estimated to have cost £270,000.{{cite web|url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/waterworld_repair_bill_rises_again_1_929132 |title=Waterworld repair bill rises again - News |publisher=Scotsman.com |date=28 November 2001|accessdate=2 December 2011}} There were previous threats to close the pool to save money in 1997 and 2005.{{cite web|url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/cash_lifeline_saves_sinking_waterworld_1_1004189 |title=Cash lifeline saves sinking Waterworld - News |publisher=Scotsman.com |date= 2 March 2005|accessdate=2 December 2011}}
On 22 December 2011 Edinburgh Council voted to close the pool.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-16304656 |title=BBC News - Edinburgh councillors vote to close Leith Waterworld |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date=22 December 2011 |accessdate=10 January 2012}} It closed on 8 January 2012.{{cite web|url=http://www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/list-86 |title=Leith Waterworld is now closed |publisher=Edinburghleisure.co.uk |date=17 November 2004 |accessdate=10 January 2012}} Campaigners continued to protest and lodged an official complaint against the closure.{{cite web|url=http://www.scotsman.com/edinburgh-evening-news/waterworld_shut_but_campaigners_vow_to_battle_on_1_2044946 |title=Waterworld shut but campaigners vow to battle on - Edinburgh Evening News |publisher=Scotsman.com |accessdate=10 January 2012}} The closed pool became an issue in the Edinburgh 2012 elections, referenced at local hustings.{{cite web|last=Spurtle|first=Broughton|title=Leith Walk Hustings|url=http://www.broughtonspurtle.org.uk/news/leith-walk-hustings-report|publisher=Broughton Spurtle|accessdate=21 April 2012}}{{cite news|title=Waterworld hot topic in May's poll|url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/waterworld-hot-topic-in-may-s-poll-1-2200275|accessdate=21 April 2012|newspaper=The Scotsman|date=28 March 2012}} In September 2012, Splashback's bid to reopen the facility was rejected and they were told to come back with a better submission.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-19667825|title=BBC News - Leith Waterworld: Councillors reject community bid|work=BBC Online|accessdate=21 September 2012}} In May 2013 the decision was made to accept a proposal to redevelop the premises as a soft-play area.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-22718911|title=BBC News - Leith Waterworld: Anger over council decision to sell pool|work=BBC Online|accessdate=12 August 2013}} Splashback accused Edinburgh councillor Richard Lewis of breaking his word about reopening the pool.{{cite news|url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/scotland/top-stories/councillor-accused-of-leith-waterworld-betrayal-1-2950654|title=Councillor accused of Leith Waterworld 'betrayal' - Top stories - The Scotsman|date=31 May 2013|work=The Scotsman|accessdate=12 August 2013}}
Digital Representations
Leith Waterworld is preserved in digital form in the map ttt_waterworld{{Cite web|title=Steam Workshop::ttt_waterworld|url=https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=157420728|access-date=2020-06-26|website=steamcommunity.com|language=en}} in the game Garry's Mod,{{Cite web|title=Save 50% on Garry's Mod on Steam|url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/4000/Garrys_Mod/|access-date=2020-06-26|website=store.steampowered.com|language=en}} specifically in the game mode Trouble in Terrorist Town (TTT).{{Cite web|title=Trouble in Terrorist Town|url=https://www.troubleinterroristtown.com/info|access-date=2020-06-26|website=www.troubleinterroristtown.com}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://splashbackedinburgh.blogspot.com/ Splashback campaign]
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Category:1992 establishments in Scotland
Category:2012 disestablishments in Scotland
Category:Defunct amusement parks in the United Kingdom
Category:Water parks in the United Kingdom
Category:Amusement parks closed in 2012
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