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Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

*Very* angry of Tottenham re Fusion happenings at Tottenham Green Leisure Centre

Last year Fusion took over the management of Harringey's leisure centres.  The most recent edition of Harringey People (October - November 2013, page 23 boasts about Fusion's planned "transformation of Haringey's leisure centres"... but at what cost to the residents of Harringey...?

I have been talking to staff at Tottenham Green Leisure Centre (TGLC) and recently learned that staff shifts are being cut, the main pool will be laned off all day at weekends at least until April and will only have one lifeguard at the poolside at one time.

For as long as I can remember the arrangement for the main pool on Saturday and Sunday afternoons was for the lanes to be taken out and the water slides turned on.  Regardless of the weather outside, TGLC offered great family-orientated, fun swimming for adults with young children.  Now it seems this is no longer the case.  

So much for Fusion being a charity!!!  IMHO, these recent changes are having a negative impact upon local jobs and our local community.  I have no awareness as to what the risk assessment looks like for justifying one poolside lifeguard at one time.

Given the choice I'd rather keep the current arrangements if the "transformation" had to be sacraficed.

I don't have young children; my two are in their 20's now but I find it heartbreaking when I think about TGLC no longer being family-friendly at the weekend.

Someone please tell me I'm wrong and that jobs and local family-orientated community facilities aren't being affected like this by Fusion?  I'd love to hear that it's all malicious gossip.  However, if this is the way forwards as far as Fusion are concerned, is there anything to be done about it?

Best wishes,

Sarah.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by GillianM on October 14, 2013 at 21:15

Oh dear. I don't often take my children there any more since they changed their policy about the children's pool - very often it wouldn't be open in the mornings because they would only open it when there were three lifeguards... which there often weren't.   And my husband sometimes takes them weekend afternoons but the waves are never on when they go.

The three lifeguards versus the one in your account does make me think maybe the one lifeguard thing might be wrong - but would be great to hear if anyone else knows what the situation is.  

Permalink Reply by Maddy on October 14, 2013 at 22:22

Since Fusion took over there have been more than a few women-only sessions  which have male lifeguards - no problem for me, but a huge issue for women from certain backgrounds, for whom the women-only swim sessions are probably the only time they can go to the pool.

Permalink Reply by Jenny on October 15, 2013 at 9:02

TGLC is a great place to swim. The pool is big, with a beached area for kids and those not so confident. The water is (usually) just the right temperature, The chlorine level is low enough that I can swim happily without goggles and the changing facilities are adequate although in need of repair.


I too would gladly forego the promised revamp, which will bring us little more than an expensive aesthetic upgrade, for the continuation of the fun sessions at the weekend – and during the school holidays. What other winter activity in the area ticks all the boxes as far as children's entertainment goes?

 
And then there's the issue of cutting staff shifts. I had wondered why some of the lifeguards were agency workers (zero hours contracts?) and here is the reason. As usual with a takeover, the one year plan is to ease us all into the new regime gently. Grumble...

Permalink Reply by Neville Collins on October 15, 2013 at 16:49

I've rarely gone to Tottenham Green since it was built because to many locals, it was probably one of the worst-run public facilities in the borough. TG is barely just over twenty years old, yet Haringey Council ran the centre into the ground over that period. Handing it over to Fusion last December was a no-brainer. The new managers have only been in charge for ten months, so give them a chance to prove us... and me... wrong. TG desperately not only needs substantial investment in its facilities, but above all, it also needs to be better promoted and managed properly.

Permalink Reply by James R Grinter on October 18, 2013 at 8:24
I'm not sure I'd describe it as a no-brainer.

Many other boroughs, including our neighbours to the south, seem to have gone with GLL (http://www.gll.org/b2b/pages/21), also a charity, and they offer the opportunity to use other facilities outside of your borough (handy if you don't work locally, or just to access more specialist facilities)

The vaunted "money to Haringey" as part of the Fusion deal can only come from the money they charge us to use the facilities. For example, compare the cost of using TG's fitness suite once (£7.50) against the flat rate monthly membership of The Gym Group (£20). Quite a disparity!
Permalink Reply by JJ B on October 18, 2013 at 8:34
It's Haringey Council. What do you expect?
2lmlljz5ov8t7Permalink Reply by 2lmlljz5ov8t7 on October 18, 2013 at 16:05

It seems they are going to spend (our?) money on cosmetics and a "luxury spa" (at "market rates" for entry) but don't appear to plan anything about the swimming pools 

I think the wave machine is broken?

And the diving pool too

Permalink Reply by Sarah Witwicka on October 27, 2013 at 18:29

Thanks everyone for your replies.

Food for thought.

Best wishes,

S :-)

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