In our latest Croydon Insider podcast, our guests catch up on what’s happening in Croydon, discussing the spate of murders in and around the borough, plus what’s caught their eye on the pages of our website over the past couple of weeks.
So Croydon residents Neil Chandler, Cheryl Fergus-Ferrell and Ken Towl, plus former iC-er and now BBC journalist Sanjana Idnani, look at the situation in Purley, and the promises over a pool and a Marks and Spencer Foodhall, the council’s latest, lip-service survey, and the verdict in the recent Sandilands tram crash trial.
Plus: what are those eight-foot-tall fibre glass figures lurking in one of the many empty retail spaces in Centrale?
And one of our guests gives Croydon Mayor Jason Perry an open invitation to use his influence to mark Windrush Day every year.
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This is an interesting podcast, as the previous ones have been.
The point about Croydon’s poor provision of leisure and sports facilities is well made. I’m particularly concerned about the shortage of public swimming pools in the borough. Croydon, with a population of 394,000, has just 4 functioning public swimming pools. The Shetland Islands (population 22,000) have 8. Nearer to home, Faversham in Kent (population 21,000) has its own swimming pool.
When the central Croydon swimming pool in Scarbrook Road was demolished (in 1973 I think) we were promised a replacement. That turned out some time later to be the Water Palace in Waddon. That in turn was demolished and, after another gap, the current Waddon Leisure Centre appeared. In the last few years that has been touted as a replacement for Purley Pool. So all the time the public facilities are declining.
As with so many other public services the Council and Government are letting Croydon down.
Let’s hope that the redevelopment of the Purley Pool and Leisure Centre/ ex Supemarket/ Multi storey car park site goes ahead, to create a new public pool and gym for Purley, on the ground floor of an “Urban seniors’ living development” (my description).
Many people will have seen the recent consultation in Purley some 10 -12 days ago.
I attended one of the two sessions at Christ Church Purley, and loved the experience so much that I popped in at the subesequent Purley High Street fair.
I mean that, as I was able to speak at great length and in detaial with the senior architect, other architects, and the landscape architect, either on my own or with other people who attended these very good sessions. I also talked about the design with two Councillors who had come along to see the proposals, and also had a useful chat with Mayor Jason Perry.
This was a real chance for us, the public, to see the plans, to have the design concepts and outline design expained, to ask questions and discuss the design ideas direct with design team members. They were good listeners and very willing to discuss options and possibilities with the public. After all, some of the attendees are potential residents! It was a genuine dialogue between us the public and the designers, that’s what I really felt. I am amazed that the staff did not go hoarse, as there were so many engaged and articulate people keeping them busy.
The design proposals are at an early stage, which actually gives the designers some space to listen to people with local knowledge, and to take on board their thoughts as to the viability of aspects of design and site layout.
I look foward to seeing more of the proposals as the design process unfolds.
Apparently, the deal with the council would insist on the pool and gym etc being built and opened before the residential.
The Waddon Leisure centre and Pool have done good things for Waddon after the demise of the oversized Water Palace, but Purley needs, and is definitely the right place for a new Pool and Gym to serve the people of Purley and the surrounding Croydon communities of South Croydon, Sanderstead, Coulsdon (Old, East and West) Old Lodge Lane valley, Woodcote, Kenley, and Riddlesdown, all of which are connected easily and quickly to Purley via the many public transport routes that converge in Purley town centre.
I hope that the design team passed to the Council the idea of a female resident who said that the Purley library should be relocated to be next to the new Pool, Gym and cafe. A synergy – joined up thinking at its best– and a good reason why the public should be involved in meaningful consultations…. and treated with respect.