The building of the new Queensferry High School offers us a huge opportunity, not just to provide a fantastic new educational facility but also to deliver improved facilities for the local community.
With only weeks to go until Council officials submit the final plans for the new school for approval, there has been a real community campaign to get a six lane swimming pool rather than the current four lane pool. This would help ensure the pool is available during the week, even when the school is in session.
We were pleased to get the Council’s new Education Convener and Vice Convener to agree to come to Queensferry to meet with us, the community council and parent council to discuss the plans. This took place in mid August. The head teacher and deputy head were also present.
It’s safe to say that we all left Cllr Perry and Cllr Dickie in no uncertain terms as to the need for improved sporting facilities in Queensferry. We emphasised the huge opportunity that the new school presents in terms of providing better swimming facilities which the wider community can use throughout more of the week.
Cllr Perry promised to look in detail at the option of extending the number of lanes. He accepted that operational issues around shared use of the pool were surmountable but, inevitably, much of the concern comes down to cost. One promise Cllr Perry did make was that, whatever happens, the new pool would be available during school holidays.
There are obviously no guarantees as what will be brought forward next month. However, we feel we all made the arguments as best we could.
Kevin also highlighted the issue at the full meeting of Edinburgh Council, saying it was time for Queensferry to get the kind of swimming facilities that many other parts of Edinburgh take for granted.
Officials still plan to submit the school planning application in September so we sit at a critical stage of the process.