Exciting Development

We are pleased to have been the first users of the Riverside Pool in Exeter to visit the on-going re-development. The club were invited to visit due to needing to provide an important input into the development to allow it to move to the next phase. The installation of new race blocks pool side.

The club have had their new race start blocks in storage for the past 2 years or more. The blocks were part funded by Exeter Chiefs Foundation, which allowed the club to purchase the latest quality track-start style race blocks, to allow our swimmers to train using the blocks that are used at all the highest level competitions. The blocks were purchased for them to be installed at Middlemoor Police HQ pool, as this was the club's main training base. However, the well publicised and unfortunate demise of Middlemoor Pool, meant that the blocks were not able to be installed and they went into storage, with no home for them. After significant investment by the club, it meant they had no option but to put them into storage.

Thankfully, the club have been in regular contact with Exeter City Council over the past couple of years, with both St Sidwell's Point being under construction, but also with the on-going refurbishment of Riverside Pool, with a view to establishing and maintaining a positive relationship for the benefit of swimming in the City. Thankfully, Exeter City Council envisage Riverside Pool being available for our competitive squads to train in on a regular basis and were more than happy for the club's race blocks to be installed permanently at Riverside, in order to give our competitive swimmers the best chance of success.

ECSC Club Chair, Dean Drury, says "It was fantastic to be able to see the work that has been done so far at Riverside and the plans for the remaining work in readiness for the re-opening later this year. There are so many improvements that have been made and it will feel like a new pool. We are very grateful to Exeter City Council for allowing us to have a direct input at this important stage and to have that engagement to ensure that everything is right for the club when we return to training there. It goes without saying that we are over the moon to have now found a home for our start blocks and these being permanently installed at Riverside will help our swimmers practice their race starts on a regular basis, which will undoubtedly see them improve. Our visit allowed for one of our race blocks to be trialled in position poolside, to ensure the correct fixings could be put in place prior to any tiling being completed".

(Image credit - Malmsten)

Tim Webb, Leisure Contracts Manager for Exeter City Council, says "It was great to have representatives from Exeter City Swimming Club at Riverside as the first outside visitors since its closure. We are pleased to be able to continue to forge a positive relationship with the city's swimming club. The re-development has been progressing really well, despite some delays due to the COVID Pandemic and we are right on track for re-opening later this year. We believe that the improvements will make the pool a great environment for swimmers to enjoy both leisure and competitive swimming for years to come".

Exeter City Swimming Club and Exeter City Council hope that this positive relationship will lead to continued and even greater success for swimmers from Exeter and the surrounding area for many years to come.