Hilsea Lido is expected to reopen in 2025.
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00:00 I'd say from the people that's grown used to it, it's all been quite positive.
00:17 They're quite happy that the pool's been brought back into life for Hilsey and that they'll
00:22 have a change of facilities and a pool to go alongside the new area.
00:26 What are the key facilities that are going to be added to Hilsey Lido with the funding
00:30 that's been given to you?
00:31 So the key facilities will be new male and female changing facilities.
00:36 There'll be a disabled toilet, disabled changing and a changing places facility as well.
00:41 So they'll have a hoist, height adjustable table and height adjustable sink to cater
00:45 for all those needs.
00:47 Is there also thoughts about a section of heated pool as well?
00:51 So we considered heating the pool but due to the electrical load in the area, it would
00:57 need a new transformer put in and also the cost, primarily the reason of the heating
01:02 equipment and the size of the pool as well, we're giving them some patch on that.
01:05 Do you see with these regeneration plans that a lot of local residents will come to Hilsey
01:10 Lido when it opens?
01:12 From the feedback that we had from initial engagement events and today's event, I'd say
01:15 yes, it's all been quite positive.
01:17 A lot of people that used it before were quite disappointed that it's obviously not open
01:21 now so the fact that it'll open again, all of them seemed quite happy about that.
01:25 Do you think it adds to that, the council have gone up and asked the residents for their
01:29 opinions first and then drawn the plans together, do you think that?
01:32 I think it helps channel the needs that you can deliver something that local residents
01:36 want, whereas if you didn't do that, you deliver something that didn't cater to the
01:40 needs and they probably wouldn't be very interested in coming down with a disappointment with
01:43 the final product.
01:45 How do you think the projects will go?
01:47 The plan is for opening March 2025, do you see that all going through smoothly with all
01:52 the plans set up and all that?
01:54 The contracts that we've been working on so far, it seems quite positive they can deliver
01:57 the projects within the timescale, so there'll be some works that start down here mid to
02:02 late April to do some localised demolition clearance works and then major works will
02:07 start in June running through to March of next year.
02:11 So do you think the site will finally be fully transformed when it's all put together and
02:15 set up?
02:16 I think so, the plan is that it's pretty positive.
02:18 That's awesome, thanks so much Harlow.
02:20 Thanks.
02:21 I'll just ask a question about the project.
02:23 Hi.
02:24 So Kelly, what do you think the reaction has been to residents who you spoke to about the
02:28 plans?
02:29 Well I think tonight in particular it's been really positive in the room, I think there's
02:33 been some really reasonable and sensible questions around are things achievable in timeframes
02:38 and everything, but I think broadly people have been very positive about seeing the site
02:42 coming back to life again.
02:44 Absolutely.
02:45 Yeah.
02:46 And what do you, do you think the project has more credence in the pledges over there that
02:50 were gathered from people putting their ideas?
02:52 I hope so, I mean what we've done developing the plans and working alongside the contractors
02:57 absolutely sort of placed those things that we got from the original consultation at the
03:01 heart of it and what we got from that was probably much less in the way of these are
03:06 physical things that we want to see and much more about this is the energy we want to see
03:12 back in the place and we remember it being a certain way and giving us a certain feel
03:16 like almost you being on holiday at home and that's the kind of thing we want to see coming
03:19 back to the site, that real sense of energy, that it's somewhere for the community to come
03:24 and have fun and that was what powerfully came across in the initial consultation and
03:28 I think that's what we've tried to take through into the design phase and make sure that we're
03:32 delivering on that for the community.
03:34 It sounds like Hillsview has needed this sort of social infrastructure project for such
03:38 a long time, how important is it that it's finally progressing with these to time?
03:42 I think it's really important, I think what's been the key is we've been able to find the
03:48 funding that's needed to take these things forward because it's not easy to get a project
03:52 to scale funding, I think we were very lucky to secure that funding and I think it's really
03:56 great that we're able to turn it into something actual there on the ground for the community.
04:02 Can you summarise what sort of facilities are getting added to Hillsview Library that
04:06 aren't here already?
04:07 So broadly the focus is on actually getting the pool back up and running again, it's the
04:12 sort of key part of the site really so we're looking to do that, bring the plant and filtration
04:18 up to the standard that it needs to keep running because obviously the plant is amazingly the
04:22 original 1930s plant but that means obviously it's coming to the end of its life and even
04:28 if we were to continue running off of that it gets very difficult to get things like
04:31 that back up, someone will give it a warranty if they fix it or anything so yeah we need
04:34 to replace that.
04:35 Once we've got that up and running then obviously it's about bringing facilities, so changing
04:39 facilities, things that people can use, little external water features and things that will
04:44 keep it there, parasols just for a bit of shade because obviously we need to make sure
04:48 it's sun safe for people, we're hoping they're going to spend sunny days here, we need to
04:51 make sure we've got some shade as well and getting this site back used as a food and
04:55 beverage office so that people can actually come and get a cup of coffee and ice cream,
04:58 ice cake, you know spend some real quality time here.
05:01 And is it going to be cold water swimming?
05:04 At the moment we're not looking to heat the pool, partly because it's a very big body
05:08 of water so it's very big, it's very deep, very very expensive and complicated to heat
05:13 in terms of requiring additional power and things so at the moment we're not looking
05:16 to introduce heating, we did look at it as part of the design options because it did
05:20 come up with that initial consultation, it's just really really difficult to do so that's
05:24 not precluding that it might happen in the future but not as this first phase of work.
05:28 A lot of residents have talked to you about trying to make Hillside as accessible as possible
05:33 for everybody, is that one of the main focuses of this regeneration project?
05:38 Yeah so obviously we're talking in the plans around the things that will make it accessible
05:43 so making sure that there's actual physical access, people that might have restricted
05:47 mobility or sensory challenges, we spent in the initial consultation phase, we did consultation
05:53 with people with learning disabilities to understand how they feel about the site and
05:57 what would make them able to use it but the other thing we understand is around affordability
06:01 is a big element of accessibility as well so actually what we're trying to do is make
06:05 sure that whatever we deliver is something that again is affordable to the community
06:09 and that people are able to come here and use it as part of their day to day life really.
06:14 What sort of measures are being looked at to make Gimson Ida affordable and why it's
06:18 all put together?
06:19 So in terms of the measures what we're saying is it needs to be sustainable in the future
06:23 but what we mean by that is that it's generating enough income to keep itself afloat and actually
06:27 sustain the site so we're trying to keep the cost as low as possible in terms of the
06:32 ongoing running and then we hope that that would obviously translate into there being
06:35 a reasonably accessible price to the members of the public, that's something that we're
06:39 now looking to work with the market to say well actually what does that look like in the future.
06:44 Some of the residents have raised concerns about security measures in the backwards of
06:47 Gimson, there's a tiny bit of a history there, what focus on security is being looked at
06:52 with this project?
06:54 So I think undoubtedly there are some concerns about security and I think that part of the
06:59 issue that we have is obviously that it's been vacant for a while and that always brings
07:03 issues with it and then the key thing is that firstly we get it used again so when you get
07:07 it used you've got that natural surveillance, people being here early, being here late,
07:11 people being around generally creates its own natural surveillance, I think absolutely
07:14 is part of what we're looking at, we're looking at making sure we've got a structure there
07:17 for CCTV, we'll be looking at making sure the fencing is good so the community trust
07:21 who operated it told us that the most successful fencing they've had is the new one that was
07:24 put up as part of the coastal defence work, so the current plan is to bring that fence
07:28 all the way around for example, so yeah be mindful of those issues but actually the key
07:33 is let's get it open, being used, more people around and actually feeling like it belongs
07:38 to the community.
07:39 Finally the aim for the project is to be put together by March, do you see the project
07:47 all coming together by then?
07:48 Yeah, yeah I think so we need to finish the construction phase by then and that seems
07:54 very doable in the programme at the moment according to the plans that we're presenting
07:57 today and then obviously what we would expect is for construction to end there will probably
08:00 be then a period of mobilising in terms of actually getting it up and running and we
08:04 would all want to see it up and operational for the summer of 2025 which of course comes
08:08 as the 90th anniversary of the site.
08:10 What an appropriate time, do you think it will be back to its heyday by then?
08:14 I mean I think it's all about bringing back that energy, that vibe that people were talking
08:19 about and I think actually reminding people that yes it's a grand old lady of 90 but
08:22 actually there's a lot of life left in it now and it absolutely speaks to the needs
08:26 of the modern community as well.
08:27 That's pretty exciting.
08:28 That's alright.
08:29 We've gone through the plans for the Hilsey Library regeneration behind us, give us your
08:32 thoughts.
08:33 Well I think like most residents of Hilsey we just want it completed, we just want it
08:38 finished.
08:39 It's been going on for way too long and to finally see something complete is really exciting.
08:45 However, some residents still miss some of the diving boards and other things that we
08:51 used to have here so I think maybe at a later time they might be able to incorporate a slide
08:56 but I think overall the design is really, really clean.
09:00 It's a vast improvement to what we have now and we just really want it finished.
09:04 Do you like the fact that the pledges over there have incorporated the residents' opinions?
09:09 Yes because it isn't just the residents' opinions, they had schools as well from surrounding
09:13 areas that gave their feedback about what they felt they wanted in a new Lido so it's
09:18 not just the local residents, it's also the kids as well which is really important because
09:22 even myself as a boy used to use it, what they think is important.
09:27 Since you use it as a boy, do you think this plan will bring Hilsey Lido back to its heyday?
09:32 Oh, it's a tricky one.
09:33 I mean, yes to a certain degree because it would be open but on the other side of that,
09:40 depending on the generation, I mean if there was something like free wifi the kids might
09:43 be quite happy with that, jump in the pool, use their phone etc etc but yeah I mean if
09:48 you add a slide or a diving board that probably would add a little bit more dynamic to it
09:52 but there's other ways of making swimming fun.
09:56 What do you think of the facilities that are going to be added?
09:59 So I quite like the changing rooms, I like the fact there's real grass, I like the fact
10:03 that there also seems to be some more stalls as well to get food and drink.
10:07 I mean as I said overall it looks very clean and I say that because it is very neat looking.
10:15 I like the fact that it's quite spacious as well and yeah it's quite eco, it's really
10:20 important for today.
10:22 And you mentioned that Hillsiers needed a social hub for such a long time, that's one
10:26 of the few places missing.
10:27 Do you think Hillsie Lido can be the start of rebuilding social infrastructure in North
10:32 Wales?
10:33 Absolutely, I think the Blue Lagoon as well where we're standing now really needs to be
10:36 used as a community space as well as there, as well as in the Hillsie Lido there's lots
10:40 of spaces in there, there was previous things that were run there which I think should continue.
10:44 At the end of the day it has to be run as a really successful business and from that
10:49 successful business it will make it better and better to add more and more.
10:54 So yeah I think it will be used as a community space, that's what I would be pushing out
10:58 as a councillor for Hillsie.
11:00 And do you think if once Hillsie Lido is up and running do you think it will encourage
11:04 more people to actually visit Hillsie for something other than work or perhaps going
11:08 for a cafe or coffee or something that adds more?
11:10 Yeah, no in the summer definitely.
11:12 I mean as a boy we used to all walk up Northern Parade with our inflatables and our swimming
11:17 trunks and you know people will commute from Stampshore, from Coch and from Portgrove to
11:22 come to this Lido.
11:23 So you know it's the north of the city as well so people will have to go all the way
11:26 down to Southsea for a swim.
11:29 A couple of residents have raised some concerns about security, obviously there have been
11:33 a history of this in the past.
11:35 Do you think the project as it stands has considered that enough or do you think more
11:39 needs to be added?
11:40 To be honest I don't think I've seen enough from the planners to be able to answer that
11:44 openly.
11:47 From what we have at the moment, we do have cameras there, youth will always be youth
11:51 to a certain degree.
11:54 I mean we'll kind of cross that bridge when we get to it.
11:57 And finally with the deadline of March 2025, how excited are you to finally be open and
12:05 finally to have a time frame for the project?
12:08 I would love for it to be finished.
12:11 They said summer 2025 but as long as it's open we'll go from there.
12:16 I know there was talks about the grass not being complete and finished but as long as
12:22 it's open to the residents, not only of Hillsie but also the north of Portsmouth, it's going
12:27 to be great.
12:28 That's brilliant, thanks so much.
12:29 Thank you, no worries at all.
12:30 So Paul you've volunteered at Hillsie and Lido for a long while, can you tell us more about
12:34 what that experience was like?
12:36 Yeah it was good, I was here for about seven years and first came here as a triathlon coach
12:41 looking for a venue to do some coaching.
12:45 And then I came along each Thursday when the volunteers met and carried on forever, until
12:51 last September.
12:53 So each Thursday we'd just come along, a small bunch of us, I think it was about a dozen
12:59 some weeks but in the last couple of years, what with Covid and everything, then it's
13:03 gone down to a gang of about four or five.
13:07 During the post-Covid times we had a working party set up, or a Facebook group for working
13:14 parties, and that had about 450 followers or friends, which thank goodness didn't all turn
13:21 up at one case with Covid rules.
13:24 But yeah, we just do weeding or a bit of gardening, painting and decorating, repairing any that's
13:32 been vandalised, or in my case, cleaning the pool.
13:37 I started off helping a man called Des, who was the partner of the chair of the trust.
13:45 He was working cleaning the pool every year so I started helping him.
13:49 Sadly he passed away a few years ago, so I just carried on, it was my role to clean the
13:54 pool each year, and that just kept me going.
13:58 It sounds like the volunteers put an awful lot into it, I would imagine.
14:00 Yes, there is brickies and carpenters and all sorts.
14:06 There's some areas that the facing of the walls have been demolished by the youngsters,
14:12 and you see the videos from the security cameras of bits of brickwork being thrown into the
14:17 pool and such like.
14:19 And so this, well, basically a handyman, he created a template and then rebuilt the wall
14:28 using his own kind of rebuilt tiles.
14:32 And we had all the windows were boarded up for a long, long time, and then we had some
14:38 money to buy some plexiglass, and so we had a whole load of people cutting plexiglass
14:44 and fitting those to the windows so that we could have light into what we called our gloom
14:48 room, which was a pleasure to go into instead of turning the lights on and stumbling down
14:53 the dark corridors that were the old changing rooms.
14:56 And what do you think now that this plan has been put forward and there's a time frame
15:00 for the regeneration work here?
15:03 Personally, I'm disappointed with some of the plans.
15:07 They don't seem to have taken into consideration the reality of what this site has had through
15:13 damage from youngsters or whatever.
15:16 I realise that's socially an issue, but there's some things that we feel, or I feel, that
15:22 haven't been thought of and considered, things like portacabins and plastic lockers and such
15:28 like on open-room terraces.
15:31 So hopefully vandalism doesn't occur, but in this area sometimes it does.
15:38 And it's just high spirits and just kids being bored, but stuff gets damaged.
15:44 But looking at the pool, it's going to be lovely.
15:47 The lagoons will be back again, which will be fantastic.
15:51 We just hope that the company that actually runs the Lido when it's finished does a good
15:56 job and is honest with the community about keeping prices down and keeping open very regularly.
16:04 It's a disappointment that the Trust didn't manage to keep the place going, but as it
16:13 may, that's past now, so we're just going to wish the future of the Lido going forwards.
16:18 And let's hope that this whole complex and the whole Hilsey Lines and the levelling up
16:23 works as it's intended and not a whim of different personalities or factions, shall we say.
16:33 So do you think those security measures, have you raised those concerns and do you think
16:37 those security measures will actually be taken into consideration?
16:41 The security system that was introduced, we had the CCTV system introduced that improved
16:48 the one we had previously, so that's now on site and they've kept that going.
16:52 So it's still being monitored.
16:54 So we trust that the security system will pick up what's occurring.
16:59 As to whether that can be used as evidence towards any kind of prosecutions or whatever,
17:04 then we'll see.
17:07 But we've had problems where you could see CCTV pictures but we didn't know who they
17:13 were and on the odd occasion sometimes the police would know who they were, so they could
17:18 have a word, but they're youngsters and we don't want to get criminal records but we
17:25 just want them not to damage things.
17:27 So hopefully the CCTV will continue and the fact that it's a new site and have a lot
17:34 more interested people going here more regularly, then that will work in its favour.
17:40 We found that with having late night opening, afternoon and evening opening up until 9 o'clock,
17:45 that prevented a lot of the damage.
17:49 For a while we were opening early and then afternoon, but then that left a lot of free
17:53 time during the summer months when it was empty and just a huge magnet for people to
17:58 come and swim.
18:00 Which, youngsters are going to do it.
18:03 Horrifying, they're climbing over six foot spiky walls or fences to get in, but it's
18:10 nice knowing it's being used by somebody anyway.
18:12 Do you think Hilsey itself has needed this for such a long time?
18:16 There aren't that many places for social hubs or social activity.
18:20 Do you think Hilsey has needed the regeneration plans for a while?
18:25 Answer yes.
18:28 There's a nice cafe at the end of the lines now which is very engaging and it's very
18:36 popular.
18:37 It's linked in with the wakeboarding people, so there's that starting there.
18:43 Things have happened in the Blue Lagoon here in the past.
18:47 The big bands used to come in and do performances at the weekends.
18:52 Other events were happening here, but that family that were running this as a going concern
18:59 left about a year and a half ago, I think, basically post-COVID, ruined it for them.
19:06 So they pulled out.
19:07 So it's not been run as a proper venue for a period of time since COVID, which is frustrating,
19:13 but just couldn't get that to happen.
19:16 So yeah, the whole area is, as a hub it's good.
19:22 They've got the bike park over the side there, which seems very popular.
19:29 The splash pool next door is very popular in the summer, although that's cost a lot
19:36 of money in repairs and such like, which I'm not sure if the council have got that on record
19:42 anywhere, but we know from seeing what's happened that things have occurred over there.
19:48 So the whole area is a brilliant attraction.
19:52 If you look at pictures of times gone by when this road was the main road into the city,
19:57 then there's roads, gardens and boating lakes and tennis courts and all sorts in this whole
20:03 area.
20:04 There's no reason why it couldn't be something like that again, although personally with
20:08 the station there, it would be brilliant to see better cycling infrastructure.
20:13 There's a very narrow pathway around the roundabout to go underneath the motorway.
20:19 It'd be nice to think that some of the money levelling up would be used to improve that,
20:24 to make access out of the city and into the city much easier on bicycle.
20:29 But that's to the triathlon coach who wants to get back on the bike, so that's a personal
20:34 wish there.
20:35 But there's so many people on bikes and it's such an easy access route, it's just not very
20:39 good.
20:40 So yeah, hopefully it will survive and go well.
20:44 The whole conservation area on the other side of the road as well is really good.
20:49 There's a member here who's been involved with doing activities along that area and that
20:57 activity is thriving and it's gone on to other communities around this area.
21:02 So there are people actually making things work here, which is such a nice thing to see
21:07 happen.
21:08 I think that's everything, thank you so much.