David Warr meets David Warr for some pool talk
TWO people with the same interest and the same name met at La Vallette, when Deputy David Warr from Jersey spoke with Vive La Vallette’s David Warr.
The St Helier South deputy’s visit was to find out more about the work done at the bathing pools in a search for inspiration for what to do with Jersey's open air swimming pools at Havre des Pas. He was accompanied by other representatives of Jersey’s Lido Steering Group.
‘I found it quite inspirational,’ he said, after seeing the pools and talking to Vive La Vallette CEO Mr Warr.
While the upgrade and redevelopment in Guernsey had a charity behind it which raised funds for much of the work, while the States built new toilet and changing room facilities.
‘The lido pools in Jersey are in the ownership of the people of Jersey, which begs lots of questions about service agreements,’ Deputy Warr said.
Among the topics discussed during his visit was how the government could work with the private sector.
‘Another thing was the sheer pride that people took in the site,’ said Deputy Warr.
‘The gardens and the flowers had such a positive vibe, along with the wide age range of users.’
Deputy Warr was joined by other members of the steering group who shared his impression of the Guernsey site.
‘We all stood there and I think you put us to shame here in Jersey,’ he said.
He commented on how the local site has more parking than Jersey’s lido, which does not have bicycle racks, either, and also has the added issue of being connected to land by a pier.
Another complicating factor was that the lido included a listed building.
‘You were just able to flatten yours and start again,’ he said.
While there had been some spending on the lido in the past, Deputy Warr said there had not been any investment for some time and if something did not change then history would seemed to be doomed to repeat itself.
n Deputy Warr said that not only were he and the Guernsey David Warr not related, but that this was the first time he had come across the surname anywhere else.
