FS&LT Reopening Programme

Published: 30 July 2020

FS&LT re-opening programme will see Michael Woods Sports and Leisure Centre in Glenrothes, Carnegie Leisure Centre, in Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy Leisure Centre opening doors first, followed by East Sands Leisure Centre, Levenmouth Swimming Pool and Sports Centre, Cowdenbeath Leisure Centre and Dalgety Bay Leisure Centre.

The next phase will see Duloch Leisure Centre, Pitreavie Athletics Centre, Cupar Leisure Centre, Bowhill Swimming Pool, Lumphinnans Sports Hub and Waterstone Crook Leisure Centre welcoming customers, followed by the  Beacon Leisure Centre.

Work has started to upgrade the Carnegie training pool which is scheduled to reopen in Jan 2021

In the meantime, DWPC sessions will be relocated. Further details of venue and session times to follow.

Sottish Swimming Chief Executive Message on the first steps back to the water

Published: 23 July 2020

We said in our Back to the Water route map the first step under the Government title of “professional sport” would be an important one in providing learning for the opening of facilities for the whole sport. We have made some good progress with this with over 50 swimmers, para-swimmers and divers in the water as a result of three very different venues offering very tightly controlled access to performance athletes. This took a lot of work to build the necessary risk assessment and protocols with sportscotland and the Scottish Government and with the great support of the University of Stirling (National Swimming Academy), Aberdeen Sports Village and  the University of Edinburgh, we have been able to take a first step to getting Back to the Water.

This progress hasn’t yet transpired into the option of opening up swimming pools in general however. It is clear that we won’t get a date for the opening of pools before the 30^th July at the earliest, however, we must take into account the impact of this crisis on our wider partners across the sector including venue operators. Whilst permission and approval will be given at a future date, the challenges facing operators in responding to these opportunities in terms of opening pools remains. Everyone concerned is working tirelessly to get access for local communities and it is vital that we continue to be as supportive as we can during this time.

The team have been working hard with conversations and webinars and workshops with facility operators, partners and various groups within the sport to shape and develop a comprehensive set of guidance in preparation for opening. This has been submitted to the Scottish Government for approval, supported by sportscotland, however the Scottish Government are taking a very cautious approach in comparison to other areas. In asking the Scottish Government for reasons why pools cannot open, a spokesperson from the Active Scotland division provided the following rationale:

We would like to see facilities like gyms, swimming pools and indoor sports courts reopen as soon as it is safe to do so and are working towards that happening.  Our latest review indicated that they will not open before 31 July at the earliest.

In order to make reopening possible we are currently developing national guidance on protocols to ensure that physical distancing and hygiene measures can be observed.

We are thinking carefully about these matters on an ongoing basis and, unfortunately, there are particular challenges for gyms and swimming pools in particular, in relation to confined and poorly ventilated changing facilities and the higher risk of transmission through perspiration. We will continue our assessment and provide an update on opening dates as soon as possible.

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NEW SCOTTISH SWIMMING COVID-19 GUIDANCE HUB

Published: 26 June 2020

As the Scottish Government continues to progress Phase 2 of the route map out of lockdown, Scottish Swimming continues to progress their own Back to the Water guidelines, which they will publish on the new COVID-19 Guidance Hub on the Scottish Swimming website.

Scottish Government announce start of phase 2 of the recovery

Published: 23 June 2020

SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT LATEST

The latest from The Scottish Government on the staggered progression into Phase 2 of the route map out of lockdown is a really positive move for our sport, but we can't be complacent & as the First Minister said today, “Patience could reap our biggest reward.”