Update
on progress on 'Public Safety Works' to Moseley Road Baths during Winter 2004/5
- Friday, 7th October 2005 Three
pieces of news: 1)
Pool 2 is now full of water and will be heated up over the weekend.
2) we
are still on target to re-open Pool 2 to the public on Sunday 16th October, although
they will probably be some private swimming sessions before then
3) the £200,000
for a Conservation Survey of the baths building is due to be signed off in the
next few days. This survey kick starts to the campaign to re-open Pool 1 to the
public for swimming Progress
on works as of 7th October 2005 Chimney
The
rebuilding of the boiler House Chimney is complete and the cast iron cap fitted.
The scaffolding around the chimney is now being taken down The
work on the chimney will not prevent the re-opening of Pool 2 to the public Pool
2
Pool 2 is now full of water. The
leak which has existed for several years has now been sealed. The
circulation pumps have been started and the pool will now be heated up and chorinated.
It should be fit for swimming on Wednesday 12th October Terracotta
Domes
The work on the terracotta domes is now complete and the scaffolding
being dismantled Roof
Work
is on going to repair as many leaks and missing gutterings/slates as possible.
Future
Restoration of Moseley Road Swimming Baths
The £200,000 to do a Conservation
Survey of the baths is due to be signed off in the next few days.
The
survey will finally confirm the cost of restoring the rest of the building. Based
on the work done during the last 12 months, I personally think it will cost £1million
to get Pool 1 working again and another £1million to restore the rest of
the building. I
have seen no evidence to support the original estimate of £10 - £15million
cost to restore the building and consider it an over-estimation. More
information of the Conservation Survey
The
Conservation Survey is being structured in accordance with what the Heritage Lottery
Funds will require for an HLF bid. It will do the following
· a full
structural survey of the building by a Conservation Architect. This survey would
include a full costing of restoration work for the entire building. The restoration
would involve returning the building to its original use. There is an ongoing
debate within the Council as to whether the true cost of restoration is £3million
or £10million. This survey will clarify that
· produce a
business plan for the building - this would include an assurance from the Council
that they would keep the building running as a swimming baths.
·
As part of the business plan, it will show public appreciation of the heritage
of the building will be improved - this could involve information displays or
even themed open days. HLF assume that the local community will use the baths.
· show how restoration could be done in phases. This is because
HLF finances are tight and they would rather spread them over several projects
instead of one. So for example, they would be interested in initially financing
getting Pool 1 back into use.
The £1million spent on the Winter works can be used as match funding against
a HLF bid, BUT the clock starts ticking from the moment the baths re-open on the
16th October. We have 12 months from that point to get a HLF bid in. | 
