Two Aberdeen swimming pools will close this year after councillors refused to give additional funds to keep them going.
Sport Aberdeen announced that it would be shutting the Hazlehead and Kincorth pools in August following a review of facilities in the city.
The body is faced with a funding gap after Aberdeen City Council slashed its budget by £405,000 earlier this year, and has argued that the two pools are not used enough to justify keeping them open.
But hundreds of people signed a petition calling for them to be saved, with Aberdeen’s Olympic swimmer Robbie Renwick also criticising the decision.
Yesterday the Liberal Democrats and SNP put forward rival motions in an attempt to save the facilities – arguing monies should be found to keep them operational.
But administration members said that with Sport Aberdeen out of direct local authority control, their hands were effectively tied.
However, Hazlehead Liberal Democrat Jennifer Stewart said: “Swimming is an important sport for people of all ages and abilities. Young people in particular need to be encouraged and supported into swimming.
“The loss of swimming pools is a great loss for local schools and for the wider community.”
And independent Andy Findlayson argued more should be done to encourage people to use the pools rather than accepting their “gradual demise”.
But they were defeated in the vote by the administration with education convener Angela Taylor adding: “The pools would require more than £500,000 to bring them up to standards.”
