Perth Leisure Pool

File:Perth_Leisure_Pool_-_geograph.org.uk_-_625557.jpg

Perth Leisure Pool is the main indoor public leisure and recreation centre in the city of Perth, Scotland.{{cite book

|author=Geraint John, Kit Campbell, Sports Council (Great Britain). Technical Unit for Sport

|title=Handbook of Sports and Recreational Building Design

|publisher=Architectural Press

|year=1996

|edition=2, illustrated

|pages=73

|isbn=9780750622561

|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=38m2f6niQCUC&dq=%22Perth+Leisure+Pool%22&pg=PA73

|accessdate=31 May 2009}}

In 2006, the facility was noted for receiving more than 700,000 visitors a year.{{cite book |last=Miers |first=Richenda |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=crxqdevlel8C&dq=%22Perth+Leisure+Pool%22&pg=RA1-PA326 |title=Scotland |publisher=New Holland Publishers |year=2006 |isbn=9781860113390 |edition=7, illustrated |pages=326 |accessdate=31 May 2009}} As of 2024, however, the future of Perth Leisure Pool, the adjacent Dewar's Centre and Bell's Sports Centre were in doubt, due to their losing money annually.{{Cite web |last=Lindsay |first=Morag |date=2024-03-27 |title=Bell's Sports Centre gym moving to Dewars Centre after 'catastrophic' Perth flood |url=https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/perth-kinross/4933337/bells-sports-centre-gym-moving-to-dewars-centre/ |access-date=2024-04-25 |website=The Courier |language=en-GB}} Plans for a new sports centre, initially discussed a decade earlier, were started again.{{Cite web |last=O'Neil |first=Sean |date=2024-01-22 |title=Perth ice rink and leisure swimming pool saved in council vote |url=https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/perth-kinross/4873443/perth-ice-save-swimming/ |access-date=2024-04-25 |website=The Courier |language=en-GB}}

Development

Perth Leisure Pool was designed in 1984 after an architectural contest run by the RIAS and Perth Council which was won by architects FaulknerBrowns.{{cite book

|title=The Architects' journal

|page=60

|year=1985

|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ua1UAAAAMAAJ}}{{cite journal

|author=Royal Institute of British Architects

|year=1990

|journal=Journal

|title=Journal

|publisher=RIBA Magazines

|volume=97

|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mcBUAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Perth+Leisure+Pool%22

|accessdate=31 May 2009}} Councillor John L. Wilson presided over the development of the facility,{{Cite book

|url=http://www.alba.org.uk/localby/ericht.html

|publisher=The Scotsman

|title=Councillor John L. Wilson

|author=John Swinney MP

|date=19 September 1998

|access-date=28 May 2009

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606073441/http://www.alba.org.uk/localby/ericht.html

|archive-date=6 June 2011

|url-status=usurped

}} and it was opened by Anne, Princess Royal, on 29 July 1988.

Facilities

The complex includes five swimming pools with flumes, bubble beds and other water features;{{cite book

|last=Pickard

|first=Quentin

|title=The architects' handbook

|publisher=Wiley-Blackwell

|year=2005

|edition=illustrated

|isbn=9781405135054

|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6QAKfIFPhLYC&dq=%22Perth+Leisure+Pool%22&pg=RA5-PT213}} a gym,{{cite news

|url=http://www.perthshireadvertiser.co.uk/lifestyle/lifestyle-news/2009/01/20/more-power-to-you-73103-22727083/

|title=More power to you!

|last=Gordon

|first=Katy

|date=20 January 2009

|publisher=Perthshire Advertiser|accessdate=31 May 2009}} health spa, cafe, creche and outdoor children's play area. The separate children's lagoon varies in depth between {{convert|1|and|2+1/2|ft|m}}.

Cryptosporidiosis outbreak

In August 2002,{{Cite book

|title=Water bug outbreak linked to pool

|date=8 August 2002

|publisher=BBC News

}} there was an outbreak of cryptosporidiosis at the pool, which caused gastrointestinal illness for 74 people.{{cite news|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-90276843.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025173820/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-90276843.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 October 2012|title=PARASITE POOL CLOSED|date=10 August 2002|publisher=Daily Mirror|accessdate=2009-05-31}} This resulted in the closure of the facility while the matter was investigated.{{cite news

|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1403891/Fresh-outbreak-of-water-bug.html

|title=Fresh outbreak of water bug

|date=8 August 2002

|publisher=The Daily Telegraph

|accessdate=2009-05-31}} Numerous improvements to the cleaning and water treatment processes were recommended by the Outbreak Control Team and these were made prior to the reopening of the centre.{{Cite book |author1=Julie Cavanagh |url=http://www.nhstayside.scot.nhs.uk/about_nhstay/commitees/01_nhs_tayside_board/board_meet/20030313/outbreak%20of%20cryptosporidiosis.pdf |title=Outbreak of Cryptosporiosis associated with Perth Leisure Pool |author2=Professor Tony Wells |date=13 March 2003 |publisher=Tayside NHS Board}}{{cite news

|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-22705471_ITM

|title=Forty Changes Made After Perth Swim Pool Illness Alert

|date=14 March 2003

|work=accessmylibrary.com

|publisher=Aberdeen Press & Journal

|accessdate=31 May 2009}}