Save the diving board says the Sea Donkey
A CHARITY swimmer is leading the charge to try and save La Vallette bathing pool’s last surviving diving board.
Adrian Sarchet, who is famous for his epic swimming challenges, said he understood the board would be removed on Tuesday. He heard about the upcoming removal on Thursday.
‘I was really stunned,’ he said.
‘I think there needs to be more discussion with the community, so we can understand what the risks are.’
He said removing the board by stealth would deprive the community of an important piece of its heritage.
The pools used to be famous for its diving competitions, with the Guernsey Swimming Club setting up high-diving boards at Ladies’ Pool in 1925, but the boards started being removed in the 1970s and in recent years there is only a single low board at the southern end of the Ladies’ Pool.
Mr Sarchet said the board was still well used year-round.
‘We see businesses coming down and you see them leaping off the board, laughing and joking, and that’s the adults,’ he said.
‘Then in the summer it’s an area for children to play.’
He said that jumping off the board had become a right of passage for many young people, who would pluck up the nerve to leap off into the chilly water.
He felt it was important for islanders to show they cared about the board before it was removed.
‘I invite anyone who loves La Vallette Bathing Pools, who jumped off the diving boards as a child or who simply favours the maintenance of our island heritage, over convenient bureaucracy and a lack of transparency to join me in person,’ he said.
‘If you cannot be there in person but you do want to take action, please email your deputy as soon as possible. I think it will be a busy morning.
‘I’m hoping we can capture the public support in a single photo, as that will say more than 1,000 words.’
Several hours after Mr Sarchet’s post, the States published it reasons for the upcoming removal.
n Mr Sarchet will be standing by the board between 9am and 10am on Sunday. It is planned that a photograph showing the supporters will be taken at 9.30am. The forecast for Sunday morning is sunny and dry.
