The new plans for Abbey Fields Swimming Pool contains a family pool. The pool will have a movable floor that will let centre managers change the depth of water for different activities.

This movable floor will mean that the new family pool can provide the ideal depth for various different activities:

• Shallow water across the whole pool to allow up to 5 swimming classes for children at the same time (doubling the number of beginners classes that can take place at the same time)
• Medium depth of water across the whole pool for teaching swimming to adults who are nervous of the water
• Just the right depth of water for use by disabled groups, whatever depth they need
• Just the right depth of water across the whole pool for water-based fitness classes

With these activities taken out of the main pool programme, more time can be made available in the main pool for teaching improvers or for lane swimming for fitness or pleasure.

The family pool is next to the main pool, but it can be closed off for specific events. This means it can be hired out for children’s parties, use by youth groups or other activities without closing the main pool. The family pool will include a number of play features to enhance recreational use, although these will not get in the way of swimming classes and other, more formal uses.

The family pool will include provision for swimmers with profound disabilities. A ‘Changing Places’ changing room will be available next to poolside to assist helpers to change swimmers with complex needs. Once located in a hoist in the changing room the swimmer can be transferred directly into the pool with the same hoist, avoiding tricky transfers. The process can be reversed at the end of their swim.

The family pool will be next to the café, allowing parents and carers to watch swimming activities taking place.

The pool will be indoors, ensuring that these activities can take place all year round.

However, on hot summer days a series of bi-fold doors will open the pool hall up to a sun terrace, so that swimmers can combine a swim with sunbathing outside – or simply admiring the stunning views across Abbey Fields.