Pool at the Riverside to reopen in time for school holidays - July 24

Published: 30 April 2021

The pool and health suite at Exeter’s Riverside Leisure Centre are set to reopen on July 24 following a massive rebuilding programme to rectify serious structural weaknesses.

The popular pool has remained closed since fire broke out at the centre in February 2017, although the gym and sports halls have remained open.

While the fire damage was being repaired, serious structural weaknesses unrelated to the fire were uncovered, which had to be rectified to make the building safe.

Swimmers will enjoy a fresh new look with new tiling, changing rooms and lockers as well as a completely new health suite with modern facilities.

During the lengthy and complex restoration programme at the Riverside:

• The surface roof structure above the Health Suite has been replaced entirely
• All panes were replaced on the two large 42m long roof lights on the top of the building
• The flat roof over the main pool hall has been replaced, requiring a massive internal birdcage scaffold involving several kilometres of scaffold tube, thousands of fittings and hundreds of boards
• A ‘worrying deterioration’ in the structural elements around the pool was identified and required the complete removal and replacement of the entire poolside floor
• The changing areas and first floor changing rooms have been replaced with new tiling, wall cladding, cubicles and lockers
• The Health Suite has been rebuilt with a new steam room, sauna and spa pool fitted
• New acoustic baffles and wall acoustic material have been fitted above the pool
• New flooring on the balcony and seating area has been fitted and modern spectator seating is being installed
• The plant serving the main and learner pools has been upgraded, alongside other mechanical and electrical engineering work, to improve the future operation of the facility.

The city’s state-of-the-art new leisure centre St Sidwell’s Point, which features two main swimming pools and a confidence pool, will also open its doors later this year.

Exeter Leisure, which operates the city’s leisure centres, is run directly by Exeter City Council.

Download the Exeter Leisure app to stay up to date with the latest information, to find out more about our leisure services and memberships, visit our Leisure Centre page.