Save the 5 metre diving board at walthamstow pool and track

The Pool & Track (P&T) leisure centre is being rebuilt for the 21st Century. The specification does not include a replacement for the 5m diving platform. Nobody has been consulted about this. The decision was made behind closed doors by Leisure Services and Greenwich Leisure Limited who are the council's out-sourced leisure facilities management partner.

People in Waltham Forest have enjoyed using this iconic structure since the mid 60s. Youngsters and teenagers especially enjoy using it during public open sessions. It is an adrenaline fueled activity that attracts young people and draws them into a more healthy and constructive leisure outlet.

Waltham Forest council argues that our young people should now travel to the Stratford Aqua Centre in the neighbouring Borough of Newham if they want to access a 5m board. They ignore the very practical difficulties of guaranteeing access to the Newham boards at suitable times and reasonable cost for Leyton, Walthamstow and Chingford public session divers.

In 1966 the P&T was purposely sited in the middle of the new borough of Waltham Forest to offer the easiest access to the majority its residents. The loss of WF's 5m tower greatly disadvantages the majority of residents who do not live in close to the southern border with Newham. The council should not be removing existing facilities and encouraging extra journeys across the City for people to access what we already have here in our local area!

Please sign our petition to demand that the council rethinks this decision.