WORTHING Council has been landed with a £14,500 bill following the near-tragic incident in which a metal ceiling grille fell into the Aquarena's main pool.
The heavy ventilation grille splashed into the water just inches from Worthing swimmer Avril Roberts, of Wykeham Road.
"I'm lucky to be alive," 61-year-old Avril told the Herald after the incident on August 20.
The main pool was closed immediately for 10 days and the council spent £6,000 re-securing all ventilation grilles before the pool reopened on Saturday, August 30.
Grilles securedCouncil communications manager Wendy Knight told the Herald this week: "All 36 ventilation units have now been inspected and any necessary work carried out to stop this from happening again.
"We erred on the side of caution and did them all, as the fixings would all have been corroded to some degree."
Council staff and contractors worked round the clock to get the pool open again as soon as possible.
In addition to the £6,000 spent re-securing the grilles, the council lost £850 for each day that the main pool was closed.
Free kid's sessionLast year, the council spent £65,393 on planned and reactive maintenance at the Aquarena.
Kevin Skepper, council cabinet member for improved customer services, said: "I would like to thank the public for waiting so patiently for the local pool to reopen.
"Can I also thank the staff and contractors, too, who have worked really hard to sort out this unfortunate problem.
"Once again, I would like to apologise to all our customers for any inconvenience.
"As a thank-you to all those kids who missed out on a swim in their school holidays, I have arranged for them to enjoy a free inflatable play session on Saturday, September 6, from 9am to noon."
Details can be checked on
www.worthing.gov.ukNew pool plansThe council is planning to replace the Aquarena on a seafront site near the Aquarena, and a progress report will be considered by the cabinet at its meeting on Monday, September 15.
There is certain to be strong public opposition to any suggestion that Denton Gardens should disappear to make way for the new pool, one of the options put forward earlier this year.
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