First day of the new Dulwich Swimming Pool

[karter]

the 'viewing room' on the pool we found a bit odd.

[prickle]

What a lot of grumbles! I think the revamped pool is fantastic.

re: the shallow deep end, this is perfect for me and for ED.

For me, as I am not a strong swimmer and like to be in my depth, I can now do lanes without the fear of being out of my depth (and hopefully improve my strokes!). For ED and its large number of young children and babies, this is ideal too. I used to a member of Jags and used to spend frustrating sessions where the shallow end was thronging with babies and standing adults and the deep end was totally empty. The heaving crowd in the shallow end was quite unpleasant (and possibly dangerous). Hopefully they will be spread more evenly through the new pool.

As for the temperature, the pool is somewhere you are supposed to exert yourself and work up a bit of sweat. When I was a child, my school had an (outdoor) pool and it was mandatory to go in if the temperature was 16C! 28C is positively bath-like in comparison.

prickle

[toast]

I for one do not expect our local councillors to have to take up much of their own time over pool temperature, something which people will clearly disagree on. Did people mention it to staff at the pool at the time? Hope so. Sorry to be so grumpy but having seen how much our councillors do for us (as well as their own jobs!), felt the need to stick up for them incase this rumbles on.

[karter]

Hi Toast, good post but James Barber has kept his toe in so to speak on the development of the gym.

[mrure26]

I've used the pool several times since it opened last Friday and have no problem with the temperature of the water and over-heated pools are unpleasant. I think the Leisure Centre is terrific now and we should be pleased to have this on our doorstep. The gym's very small but surely worth it as a temporary measure. If the gym when completed is anything like recent renovations it will be a fantastic facility.

[sb]

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[James Barber]

Hi sb,

Thanks for that feedback.

What do others think?

Regards james.

[Chocoholic]

I have just come back from the pool this is my third session in a week there is nothing wrong with the pool it is fantastic stop moaning everybody and get down there for a swim. I did notice one person standing on the side still saying its cold get in the water quick and do some lenghts you will soon warm up. This has definately got my vote.

[James Barber]

Temporary gym.

I've had confirmation that the temporary gym aircon has been tweaked to increase the air circulation. They've also add some fans. to be honest not much more they can do while the rest of the centre is renovated. It will be worth the 6 months pain.

My next set of queries will be in response to fees. This will take a week or two before I can respond.

[victor]

My 9 year old son has just returned from a swim and he says the temps of the water, the air around the pool and in the changing rooms are all fine.

He is very impressed with the new changing rooms and the general decor, etc.

Perhaps families with non-swimming babies / toddlers should stick to the hydrotherapy pool at Peckham? ;-)

[Pickle]

We went for a look at the new facilites this afternoon, what a transformation! There were only a handful of people in the pool at 4pm, they all looked happy enough, no blue lips in sight. Looking forward to trying it for myself next week.

[Fuschia]

victor Wrote:

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>

> Perhaps families with non-swimming babies /

> toddlers should stick to the hydrotherapy pool at

> Peckham? ;-)

They've made it impossible because you can't park and you need to go in person the day before to prebook

[James Barber]

I'm really chuffed at what we've all achieved so far to get the new pool working well for us residents.

[Fuschia]

James Barber Wrote:

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> I'm really chuffed at what we've all achieved so

> far to get the new pool working well for us

> residents.

Indeed. Can you do anything about the access issues to the hydro pool at Peckham, James?

[James Barber]

Hi Fuschia,

I'm afraid since thek ids grew out of the Peckham Pulse soft play i haven't visited in aq couple of years.

Please email me the problem/s and I'll try and help.

[Pellmel]

I haven't had chance to go to the new pool as yet, but I was wondering if the water is still chlorinated? I heard there were plans to use new technological advances in water purification processes? Does anyone know about this?

Thanks

[Fuschia]

James Barber Wrote:

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> Hi Fuschia,

> I'm afraid since thek ids grew out of the Peckham

> Pulse soft play i haven't visited in aq couple of

> years.

> Please email me the problem/s and I'll try and

> help.

Half the car park is now disabled bays, which would be fine but there is no restriction on parking so people park there for the shops and it's impossible to find a space... you get exactly 90 mins in lidl but walking twins across from there is dicey and 90 mins isn't enough to swim. parking whould be either via barrier and your swim ticket gets you out, or you pay and reclaim the money at the reception when you get your swim ticket.

Members can now book the baby sessions. So as a nonmember if you arrive even 30 mins before, tickets are often all gone. The only solution as a nonmember is to go in the day before and buy tickets. You can't book and pay over the phone.

Ironically, if you look in, many 'full' sessions only have a handful of people in, I guess the members (who have booked but not been required to prepap) just didn't bother to turn up.

I have raised all this in complaints to fusion who just say blah blah, you know? Reception staff are also rude, mostly on their mobile phones and even when there ARE free spaces for baby swim I have missed the session before after standing in a queue for 30 mins while one person serves (slowly!) and 2 or 3 stand about chatting.

Fusion's policy of one adult per under 5 or for 2 U-8s also means we need 3 people for our 3 children (one 7yo who can swim and 2yo twins) while in Bromley you can take one U-5 and one U8 and I thin it's the same in lewisham.

[Cassius]

Fushia

What about becoming a member - if you use the facilities enough it is as cheap if not cheaper than paying as you go and obviously gives you the opportunity to book in advance. Incidentally if you are a member and book and then are a no-show, technically you have to pay for the class - whether or not that happens in practice I have no idea.

[Fuschia]

Cassius Wrote:

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> Fushia

>

> What about becoming a member - if you use the

> facilities enough it is as cheap if not cheaper

> than paying as you go and obviously gives you the

> opportunity to book in advance. Incidentally if

> you are a member and book and then are a no-show,

> technically you have to pay for the class -

> whether or not that happens in practice I have no

> idea.

When I asked it was something like ?30-?40pcm and that would just be for me, would still need to pay to take the 3 children swimming... it was too expensive just to be able to book baby swimming... amnd we still wouldn't be able to park!

[Fuschia]

Juist checked and membership is currently ?44 pcm per adult, ?99 for family

http://www.fusion-lifestyle.com/cms_uploads/file/London_Borough_of_Southwark/Southwark_Wide/2010/Southwark%20Price%20Lists%20September%20LR.pdf

I did ask if you could book the baby swimming if you had a ?19 pcm swim only mmebership but they said no.

It was cheaper for us to join Dulwich College Sports Club, it's ?50 pcm, that's family membership and we can park easily and all swim for free (plus guests if my sister or a friend is here to help) and we can take all 3 kids with no problems. Not a hydro pool, but the babies can manage 30 mins in their wetsuits.

Just a shame that a private sports club works out much cheaper than a council facility, and more accessible.

We're having a new baby in November and I would like to find a warm pool to take him to when he's tiny, but lessons at the very wonderful but pricey Dolphin Swim School in Merton work out cheaper, still, than Fusion membership and paying for the baby for one session p/w just to swim. (Madness)

[sb]

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[Fuschia]

sb Wrote:

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> Hi Fuschia

>

> If you join as an Access member it's ?57 annual

> fee for a family. This enables you to book

> classes, including baby swim, at Peckham/Dulwich

> etc, you still pay for classes but it's

> discounted.

If that's the case, and given I made a formal complaint to Fusion about the prebooking thing, why did they tell me the cheapest membership option was the ?40 pcm odd one for me, and would still have to play for swimming tickets for the children anyway?! I explicitly enquired if the Access membership would cover it and they said no.

Really, I despair at their customer service. I might look into that again, then, and not take no for an answer.It would at least assist me in taking the new baby swimming while I am in mat leave, even if it doesn't solve the parking hassles!

[Fuschia]

sb Wrote:

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>

> Totally agree with your comments about the

> reception desk at Peckham. They NEVER answer the

> telephone, so even though theoretically I can

> phone up and book baby swimming in advance, I can

> never get through. Sometimes they have even picked

> up the phone just to cut the line dead (I kid you

> not).

I was reduced to making a complaint via head office two years on the trot when I calledto try to sort out a birthday party at PPulse and reception never answered the phone. I have been there in the queue and seen staff pick the phone up and put it straight back down on the cradle.

Even head office couldn't get through by phone the times I complained about it!

I don't understand why Fusion didn't lose the contract long ago.

I also filled in customer feedback/complaint cards several times specifying i wanted a formal response, when I rang to check up, they had never been passed on.

[Fuschia]

sb Wrote:

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> Hi Fuschia

>

> If you join as an Access member it's ?57 annual

> fee for a family. This enables you to book

> classes, including baby swim, at Peckham/Dulwich

> etc, you still pay for classes but it's

> discounted. =

That's not listed at all now in the price list I linked to above. Is there info about it online anywhere?

[sb]

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