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13
Jul 2022
The children of Ripon are paying the price for Harrogate Borough Council's 'incompetent handling' of the multi-million pound leisure centre project.
That's the view of Ripon City Council, which backed a call from Independent leader Andrew Williams for immediate action to make the overgrown playing fields at the Camp Close site useable in time for the summer holidays.
Councillors also called for barriers, restricting access to the bike and skate park on site, to be removed so that proper access is restored. Some fencing has been forced down by young people wanting to use the facility (pictured above).
The centre opened behind schedule and over budget in March.
What was promised and what has been delivered?
The £10.2 million contract signed with construction company Willmott Dixon in November 2019, was for delivery of the new pool, a refurbished leisure centre, creation of a children's playground, landscaping of the site, reinstatement of a football pitch, provision of parking for vehicles and bicycles and installation of electric car charging points.
To date, the pool, children's playground, parking facilities and charging points, have been delivered, but only the gym on the upper floor of the leisure centre is open, with activities, such as spin classes relocated to the Hugh Ripley Hall.
The agreed completion date for the contract was May 2021, but delays caused by ground instability meant extensive grouting (injection of concrete) had to take place which held up the opening of the pool until March of this year.
He pointed out:
Chartered civil engineer Stanley Mackintosh, pictured outside the site before the swimming pool opened
The spokesperson also confirmed that the council considers that remedial works that will need to be carried out under the centre are a financially viable proposition.
Asked when the landscaping works and restoration of the football pitch will be carried out, so that children can use the area for recreation once more, the spokesperson didn't give any specific dates, but said:
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