Leisure Centres closing for Christmas

[clairemj]

It was said a while back that all of the leisure centres would be closed at Christmas as a way of cutting costs and making savings. Below are links I have searched to find where it was said about this.

 

I originally read somewhere (I can't find it now for all my searching) that if cutbacks were not made such as closing the leisure centres over the christmas period when usuage at it's lowest then it may mean closing a rural centre or staff cutbacks. So what needs to be asked what would you rather have - All the centres that are available closed for festive period or lose a rural one that is needed in the community ?

 

Unfortuantely the decision taken will not please all folk, though is it not better that all centres remain in their current locations and no jobs lost through staff cutbacks or centre closures?

 

 

http://www.shetland-news.co.uk/2009/September/news/Trusts%20cut%20budgets%20by%2010%20per%20cent.htm

 

http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2009/09/11/schools-use-of-srt-centres-adds-to-councils-budget

[jimmy parks]

Last time I was back I geed to the swimming pool at Clickamin and there was loads o young lifeguards lolling around the place gabbling away on their walky-talkies. Perhaps they could look at reducing staff at times like Christmas. For instance they dunna need that outdoor pool thingy open all the time.

On a sligthly different subject did I read in the paper that the cafe it Clickamin is bein taekower by the Chinese Restaurant.

[Trow87]

Yeah Natalie and Alan Ho fae da Great Wall an da Skipidock are seeminly taen ower da cafe.

[marlin13]

This probably means that it will now run at a profit, begging the question what was going on before !

[Guest ShetlandBlue]

When will the centres actually be closed? There seems to have been little publicity on the dates?

 

Will the savings take into account the small refunds due to subscription payers due to unavailability of use????????!!!!!!

[Medziotojas]

I assume the water will still be heated and the staff will be on holiday pay.

 

As much as I love the Clickimin swimming pool the old one at the Hillhead was perfectly adequate, and busier.

 

Are there going to be any pools open where I can take da bairns during the holidays?

[paulb]

try walls

[trout]

Are there going to be any pools open where I can take da bairns during the holidays?

 

Brindister loch, no? Just mind to smear lots of lard on them and have a cup o hot soup for them when they get oot!

[PJ of Hildisvik]

As regards those of us who pay by D/D to use the facilitys we will still be paying for the two week closure regardless.

 

I wrote to the Clickamin and was told you're not entitled to a rebate due to unforseen closures how convienient.

 

I'am not happy about this and will be writing again.

[Spinner72]

^^ Quite right. Hardly "unforseen"!!

[paulb]

so are the staff off on unpaid leave or is this money saving scheame going to cost more.

[fartypants]

Dir still da waari geo if your dat desperate fur a dip at xmas

[no4me2say]

is kinda sad when these things happen in a supposedly modern country, all that money spent on wars n tax hideyholes for the fat cats, would help to make someone sceptical about where its all heading

[crofterlady]

Well, we have 4 children and have never felt the need to darken the doors of a leisure centre during the Christmas holidays. There are a myriad of things for bairns to do in Shetland, summer or winter. If they are bored I would have a question mark over that: what did previous generations do? What's wrong with assembling Christmas toys such as lego, board-games etc? What about walks, beach-combing and visiting relatives and friends?

 

Anyway, the leisure centre staff need their space too and it would be very expensive to run these centres over the holiday.

[stephen]

In terms of staffing, what you normally find in places like these is the offer Days in Lue (spelling?), which means that staff can take time off throughout the year and are normally covered by other staff doing overtime. If they close the centre, they will not need to do this - saving the overtime. It is also pretty standard to pay time +0.5 or double time at certain times of the year - which they will not have to do.

 

I think (and this is my opinion only), SIC built a fantastic network of Leisure Centres spending the money they had. They had a fantastic vision of providing subsidised health and leisure facilities to islanders. Unfortunately they didn't really think of how to fund the centres when budgets would reach a more 'realistic' level.... which is happening now.

 

As someone who has lived on the mainland and worked at leisure centres in Edinburgh it is 'silly' how close some of the centres are. Sandwick, Clickamin, Aith and Scalloway are (in terms of driving/ public transport) are incredibly close, and it could be argued that 1 'super centre' replacing all 4 would have been more financially sensible. Obviously I am just thinking about money here - and I do love the fact that I can walk 10mins to Clickimin. And it is great that school kids can use such good facilities so close by.

 

Also, thinking about the 'network' of leisure centres supplied by a town on the mainland with the same population of Shetland (Kirkcaldy) - 1 Swimming pool, and a health suite, and a couple of school halls and public parks - that's it!