There were about 20 people in the room and a lot of emotion; both nostalgia from Golden Square residents who have cherished memories visiting the neighbourhood pool, and anger from those who want their children to be able to create these memories as well.

While they were obviously a group that cared, what was lacking was a real clear strategy on how they were going to save the pool.

The decision to close the pool seemed finite – the pool was being decommissioned by council orders, the gates finally closed on decades of history.

Now, after a monumental campaign by the Save our Golden Square Swimming Pool group, the reopening of the pool is back on the council agenda this month.

A petition was presented to the council, with thousands of signatures demanding the re-opening of the pool.

Multitudes of blue ribbons and blue signs adorn houses in Golden Square, in a constant reminder of residents’ passion to restore what they see as a crucial part of their social fabric.

And most tellingly, the most recent meeting at the clubrooms attracted more than 90 attendees, with most of them willing to volunteer their time if the pool reopened next summer.

The Save our Golden Square Swimming Pool group are a tribute to what a passionate, concerned citizen’s group can achieve if they stick to their guns. 

The fitting end to this tale is for the council to vote to reopen the pool next summer at February 13’s council meeting.

?– Eloise Johnstone, reporter