A councillor has insisted she will continue to campaign to re-open a mothballed school swimming pool- despite joining the administration that closed it.
Hazlehead, Queens Cross and Countesswells independent councillor Jennifer Stewart said it was still her intention to see Hazlehead Swimming Pool open to the public again.
The Hazlehead pool, formerly run by Sport Aberdeen, was one of two community swimming facilities axed in August 2016 by the then Labour-led council.
It has been boarded up ever since.
Mrs Stewart stoked controversy following local elections last year when she crossed the chamber to leave her Liberal Democrat colleagues and became part of the ruling Conservative, Aberdeen Labour and Independent coalition.
Last night, she praised £2,000 plans by the neighbouring Hazlehead Academy to place plaques and other artwork to make the building “less unsightly”.
She said: “The physical appearance of the school building is a really important advert for the school and I’m happy that something is being done to make the swimming pool building less unsightly.
“There is nothing to indicate opening the pool at the moment [will happen], but it is something I would like to see happen – whether I’m in the coalition or not.
“I will keeping fighting the corner of Hazlehead and this issue is still on my radar.”
Mrs Stewart also hit out at the recent announcement of £3million of extra funding for Northfield swimming pool while Hazlehead lay “abandoned”.
But her former Liberal Democrat party colleague Martin Greig, who is also a councillor for the area, said his party had wanted to put forward £5,000 for a feasibility study into having the local community manage the facility as part of their budget proposals in February.
He added: “It is very disappointing there was no political will in the council to investigate this. The Liberal Democrats were the only ones who voted for it.
“Pupils at Hazlehead are now not being offered swimming, so the curriculum has reduced for them.
“The ruling coalition has decided to put forward funding for Northfield and Tullos pools, and this is a political decision.
“It is regrettable that Hazlehead academy has been forced to take these actions.”
