A community group has been set up to help secure the future of the Ilkley Pool and Lido.
The Ilkley Pool and Lido is an iconic part of Ilkley’s history, having welcomed visitors for a whopping 89 years.
And now as the local council threatens to close the lido permanently, the community have come together in an effort to save the Lido.
They’ll be hosting numerous events to help breathe new life into the Ilkley Lido, the first being a special Full Moon Swim event.
Taking place on Monday 19 August, the event has already proven a huge hit and has sold out.
Supporters are hoping it will convince the council that the Lido can host a variety of income-generating events and can be a useful tool for the community.
Members of the Ilkley Pool and Lido Community have expressed the possibility of taking ownership of the pool, leasing it from the council, or working in partnership with them.
Committee member Davy Simpson said: “We know councils are underfunded but we see this as a key service – for all the health and mental health benefits that come with it.
“We are trying to show how it can be used in different ways, such as for health and to entertain the kids in the summer holidays – it should be nice and atmospheric for visitors can come and see it in moonlight.”
Mr Simpson said it would be great for local people to come forward with ideas on how they would like to use the pool in future.
“The staff at the pool are coming up with different ideas on how to use it, they’re being great,” he said.
“We’ve had paddleboarding, scuba diving and yoga, and they have also created an online booking system, to help people coming from further afield ensure that they know they can get in before they visit.”
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Featured image – Ilkley Pool and Lido Community Group
