hackney,
01
September
2014
|
11:13
Europe/London

A light swim: Installation of floodlights at London Fields Lido to begin

London Fields Lido

Residents will soon be able to enjoy London Fields Lido for longer in the darker months as Hackney Council gets set to floodlight the popular outdoor pool.

The Council and its leisure partner GLL listened to calls from Lidolovers to extend the opening hours so swimmers can enjoy the Olympic-sized pool more flexibly.

Work will commence on the phased installation of eight floodlight columns on Monday, 8 September after the Planning Inspectorate gave the nod to the Council’s plans earlier this year.

It means the Lido will be open to the public between 6.30am and 9pm, year-round from December, allowing residents to use the heated facilities before and after work in autumn and winter.

 

Cllr Jonathan McShane, Cabinet Member for Health, Social Care and Culture, Hackney Council
We talked to Lido users about how we could improve what has quickly become a much-loved borough asset since we reopened it in 2006 after a major refurbishment. The overwhelming response was that people wanted to swim more often, later into the year, and before and after work or into the evenings - the floodlights mean residents will now be able to do this The pool owes much of its popularity to its state-of-the-art, environmentally-friendly heating system, which keeps the water temperature at a constant 25C, even in the coldest weather. Now, with these extended opening hours, there’s no excuse not to take a dip and enjoy all the health and lifestyle benefits that swimming brings.
Cllr Jonathan McShane, Cabinet Member for Health, Social Care and Culture, Hackney Council

In addition to the floodlights, lighting will be installed to the poolside changing cubicles and new LEDs will illuminate the entrance and cycle rack area. The underwater pool lights will also be replaced with new energy-saving bulbs.

The work, which is not expected to affect the availability of the pool, will be completed by the end of November.

Etec Contract Services, a South Woodford-based company, has been awarded the contract following a tendering process.

The lighting has been carefully selected in order to minimise potential light pollution for residents and wildlife.

Residents and users were given the opportunity to view proposals earlier this year.

Michael Smith, Etec Director, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded the London Fields Lido project which has been so well supported by the local community. The Etec Team and I feel very privileged to be involved and appointed to deliver the scheme and improve what is already a fantastic facility.”