Members of the Ballymena Amateur Swimming Club are calling on local councillors to get behind them and back the reopening of Mid & East Antrim’s pools ahead of the council’s next meeting on Monday evening (24 August).
Leisure centres across Northern Ireland closed back in March in response to the Coronavirus pandemic, but while neighbouring facilities have since reopened, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council have kept the borough’s pools closed.
Coaches have recently met with Leisure Centre staff and believe that they are ready to facilitate the club members as soon as councillors give the green light to see the facilities opened.
Local mum, Jenny Graham, whose daughter is a keen swimmer with a passion for getting in the pool commented: “Ballymena Swimming Club are one of the only clubs that haven’t been allowed to resume their training. The children really miss the swim club and need it back in their lives.
“My daughter Bella’s favourite activity is swimming, and nothing would make her happier than being able to dive in the pool and swim with her team.”
The Ballymena club have put a number of measures in place in response to the COVID-19 crisis, to allow the children to train in the water safely, and have been in communication with the council in recent weeks.
Bella Graham pleads for Council to reopen Ballymena’s swimming pool
Mum Jenny concluded: “We really hope the council make the right decision. The children need some normality back, for their mental and physical wellbeing. Please let them swim again!”