Works to install a new roof at Kendal’s Sandgate Hydrotherapy Pool have been completed on schedule and the pool has reopened.
The £230,000 project has seen the pool’s old fibreglass roof replaced with a new insulated flat roof which will provide glare-free natural lighting to the pool area. A mix of solar and PV panels have also been fitted to the new roof.
The old fibreglass ‘wave-shaped’ roof was no longer fit for purpose; it was too fragile to clean and had poor levels of insulation.
Constructed with insulated roof panels, the new roof has glazed north facing roof lights. In the UK, light coming from a northerly direction is diffused sun light and does not create sharp shadows. This was important for the pool as lifeguards need to be able to see the pool water surface clearly without reflections.
The new roof has steel cross beams which can support a larger load than the previous roof. This has enabled installation of solar panels, both photovoltaic and thermal (water) which will help reduce the carbon footprint of the hydrotherapy pool as well as reducing the ongoing running costs.
Funding for the new roof was raised by the South Lakeland Hydrotherapy Trust, and the project has been managed by Cumbria County Council, which owns and jointly operates the pool with the Trust.
Removal of the old roof and construction of the new roof was completed in nine weeks by main contractor Pinington Ltd.
Cllr Deborah Earl, Cumbria County Council Cabinet Member of Public Health and Community Services, said: “I’m delighted works on the new roof for Sandgate Hydrotherapy Pool have been completed and the pool has reopened. Energy generated from the new solar panels on the roof will make a big difference by helping reduce the pool’s running costs.”
Cllr Nick Cotton, Chair of South Lakeland Local Committee, Cumbria County Council, said: “Sandgate Hydrotherapy Pool provides a range of services which are highly valued by people of all ages in South Cumbria. The pool has undergone a series of improvements in recent years, all funded by South Lakeland Hydrotherapy Trust, and this project is the final piece of the jigsaw in terms of future proofing the pool.”
Colin Ranshaw, Chair of South Lakeland Hydrotherapy Trust (SLHT), said: “This is a perfect and successful example of a charity working in close partnership with a public body (Cumbria County Council) to guarantee the sustainabilty of Sandgate Hydrotherapy Pool. The project took about three years from inception to completion which was achieved with some exceptional fundraising from a large number of committed volunteers from SLHT, many other individuals and support from major local Grant Funding organisations. My sincere thanks go out to all, directly and indirectly involved.”
