St Annes' seafront paddling pool set for a £60,000 revamp

The feature adjacent to the town’s pier will benefit from a series of improvements approved by Fylde Council designed to to make it safer and more accessible.

They will include a new ramp with handhold for inclusive access and a traffic barrier fence between the pool and the road to protect pedestrians.

A non-slip rubber surface, similar to that already in place at the nearby St Annes Splash Park water play area, which opened in 2019 at the town's previously long-abandoned paddling pool, will be installed to prevent skids and falls.

A new public safety sign will also provide comprehensive information on how to use the pool safely.

Originally constructed as a boating pool in 1912, the feature is situated next to the octagonal cast-iron bandstand, which is itself a Grade II listed building dating from around 1900.

The specifications of the scheme will ensure that the works are in keeping with the style of what are considered iconic examples of Fylde heritage.

Coun Michael Sayward (inset), chairman of Fylde Council’s tourism and leisure committee, said: “The St Annes paddling pool has delighted visitors for generations, and these new enhancements are designed both to preserve the existing architectural character and to keep people safe.”

Following a proposed tender process, the works are planned to be completed by next month.

Of the £60,000 being spent, from the council’s Capital Investment Reserve, biggest single outlay is £36,000 on the installation of the blue rubber wetpour surface.

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