Southwark (Parliament Politics Magazine) – The main pool at Southwark’s new Canada Water Leisure Centre has closed indefinitely, just weeks after its grand opening to the public.
The pool was closed because of a “maintenance issue,” according to a statement from Southwark Council that was put on X.
“We understand that this may be frustrating for users, especially as this building has only recently opened.
The good news is that the teaching pool remains open, as do the gym and sports areas. However, the main pool may remain closed for some time while we fix the issue.
We will keep everyone updated.”
Members of the center were notified via email yesterday that the pool would need to be closed while replacement parts are sent from overseas due to a problem in the air handling unit that controls the air circulation.
Thankfully, there are two pools at the new facility for avid swimmers. There is a smaller pool for students next door, which is open as usual, in addition to the main 25-meter pool.
After experiencing numerous delays that caused it to miss its initial opening date in the spring of 2025, the brand-new recreational center finally opened on September 1.
It has taken the place of the Seven Islands Leisure Centre, which is sixty years old and is about to be removed and rebuilt with new public housing.
The new center’s membership fee is more than that of its predecessor, starting at £43.99 a month, compared to £31.99 at Seven Islands.
Along with swimming pools, the facility has three exercise studios, a state-of-the-art gym, and a new sports court, which was not present at the previous facility.
Over 5,500 members have been registered since the center’s debut last month, including over 2,000 who transferred from Seven Islands.
What caused the air handling unit failure at the centre?
At the Canada Water Leisure Centre, the air handling unit (AHU) malfunctioned, resulting in the permanent closure of the main swimming pool, after it became evident that there was a mechanical fault with the unit that is responsible for controlling air movement and air quality.
When mechanical faults develop like this one did, it often leads to a reduction in ventilation levels, unsafe levels of humidity, and imbalanced temperatures – which all affect the ability of swimming pool facilities to provide a safe and comfortable environment for swimming.
In this instance, the malfunction was serious enough for replacement parts to be sourced from abroad, leading to a prolonged closure.