A St Helier politician is seeking £400,000 of Government funding to repair “one of the island’s oldest and most historically significant tidal pools”.
Deputy Inna Gardiner has lodged an amendment to the proposed Budget seeking £400,000 to repair the Victoria Marine Lake next year, and £60,000 per year to maintain the pool facility going forward.
It comes after a public petition to repair the enclosed bathing pool at West Park gained over 1,500 signatures.
Its ambitions have been supported by the St Helier Deputy, who said the bathing pool should be saved due to its “significant historical and cultural importance” to the island.
In a report accompanying her funding bid, Deputy Gardiner explained: “This amendment seeks to fund the necessary repairs to allow the pool to be safe for public swimming, and provide sufficient funding to allow annual maintenance costs to be met.”
She is proposing that £200,000 is allocated from the Arts, Culture and Heritage funding, and £200,000 from the Infrastructure Rolling Vote.
The backbench politician also wants the Treasury Minister to request a further £200,000 from the States of Jersey Development Company to support the repairs – bringing the total funding to £600,000.
An additional maintenance spend of £60,000 would be funded annually by the Infrastructure Department to “negate the possibility of any further closures”, if Deputy Gardiner’s amendment is approved.
The St Helier representative is also proposing that the Infrastructure Minister seek expressions of interest from operators for the site to run seasonal activities.
Deputy Gardiner said that the cost of restoration was deemed “commercially sensitive”, so the funding requested within the amendment is “an estimate”.
She explained that the figure of £600,000 had been derived from the previous costing in 2015 adjusted for inflation, with “an additional amount included in appreciation of the building costs being somewhat more than inflation”.
The £60,000 for maintenance was suggested in line with the Havre des Pas Lido annual maintenance fee, added Deputy Gardiner.
She said that “the advantages of reopening and restoring the pool cannot be understated”, including complementing the Waterfront redevelopment, providing health benefits to the public, and creating a free outdoor attraction all year round.
The Government’s proposed Budget is due to be debated next week.
