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Pools at Medway Park sports centre in Gillingham to remain closed due to ongoing heating issues

11:32, 30 January 2023

updated: 17:58, 30 January 2023

A leisure centre which closed all of its pools today because the water was too cold has confirmed they will remain off-limits tomorrow.

Medway Park sports centre in Mill Road, Gillingham, closed its swimming pools this morning as heating issues continued.

All pools will be closed to customers today. Picture: Medway Sport Facebook
All pools will be closed to customers today. Picture: Medway Sport Facebook

Yesterday, children were unable to swim at the centre as staff restricted access to its pools because of "cooler than usual" temperatures.

Last night, the centre contacted customers booked onto swimming lessons and aquatic classes to confirm the pools would be shut this morning, and said a decision about reopening them this afternoon would be made "as soon as possible".

A statement from Medway Sport, which runs the centre, this morning confirmed all pools would remain closed all day today.

Just before 5pm came the news they would be shut tomorrow too.

A statement from Medway Council said: "All swimming pools at Medway Park sports centre in Gillingham will remain closed tomorrow (Tuesday) due to the ongoing temperature issue.

"We are contacting schools as well as the parents and carers of children who attend swimming lessons and members who have booked aquatic sessions.

"Medway Park continues to experience cooler temperatures and a lack of hot water due to a local gas supply issue. We are working with engineers to resolve this as quickly as possible.

"This is affecting the temperature of the swimming pools, showers and the general temperature around the building.

"The gym remains open and all dry/land activities and classes continue to run, but customers are advised that it will feel cooler than normal and the showers remain closed.

"We apologise for any inconvenience caused."

There are heating issues at Medway Park sports centre in Gillingham. Picture: Google Street View
There are heating issues at Medway Park sports centre in Gillingham. Picture: Google Street View

Rochester dad Jordan Dean said: "Gutted, wanted to take the boys swimming soon as well. With Splashes gone I don't think there's any swimming pools for kids in Medway unless it's a gym.

"I do hope that there will be somewhere open for the summer."

Rainham resident Charlie Ticehurst, 30, said: "Rubbish, just another excuse. I took my five-month-old daughter about two weeks ago.

"The baby pool was freezing, she cried her eyes out so we left after seven minutes or so.

"I reported it to the management and they clearly have done absolutely nothing. It was her first experience after being born and it's put her backwards and is a struggle now each bath time."

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