Monty’s Pool proves a hit

The new swimming pool in Montacute School in Poole is proving a hit.

It forms part of the rebuilt Montacute School, and offers fresh changing rooms, showers and toilets, an 8m x 12m swimming pool and a hot pool. All facilities are fully accessible to users with additional needs, with changing beds, hoists and tracks to all areas.

Cllr Mike White, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Children, Young People and Capital Projects, Borough of Poole, said: “The Montacute School rebuild provided a great opportunity for the council to deliver on other priorities, including investing in this fantastic new swimming pool. The facilities are a real asset to the school and the wider local community.”

The pool has been named ‘Monty’s Pool’ by pupils at the school, and replaces Lodge Hill pool, which had reached the end of its operational life. Parents and friends of both Lodge Hill Training Centre and Montacute School originally raised funds for Lodge Hill pool, which had latterly been refurbished and managed by Borough of Poole. It will now be demolished as part of the school building works.

Jill Owen, Headteacher at Montacute School, said, “We are looking forward to our new role managing this pool for the benefit of our pupils and the many local swimming groups that use it.”

Donna Graham of SOS Swim School, who had been teaching children to swim at Lodge Hill pool for 28 years, said: “Our classes at Lodge Hill have always been popular so we were really pleased to be able to move our existing lessons into the new pool. First impressions of the new facilities are really good and I’ve had great feedback from parents and children. The changing rooms are clean and bright and the water is really warm.”