History of our Pool

The Knights Templar School pool is an essential first learning and community use pool in the second town of West Somerset and a feeder pool for local Swimming Clubs.  It has recently gained in importance as the main West Somerset pool, Aquasplash, has been demolished and our little pool is now serving most of the District of West Somerset.

The 12½ x 5 metre pool was built in 1993 as a result of four years of fundraising by the Splashout Committee and apart from a short Christmas break, has been used 9 hours a day, every day.

The Committee extended the amount needed from £15,000 to "a little bit more" to the final total we raised of £130,000 which provided us with a fully equipped indoor pool.  Young Leisure constructed the pool tank and plant and Norwegian Log put the superb building over the top.

Over the years, as original equipment failed, it has been replaced from the pool account and there was no call on external funding.  The pool has to be self-supporting from income as no education money is permitted to be spent on it.

After 15 years heavy use, many of the original Committee met again in 2008 to raise funds for repairs and improvements to ensure the pool will continue to serve the community for the foreseeable future.  Heavy and continual use had resulted in some deterioration and a need to extend the plant room and improve other areas to cope with usage more than double that initially envisaged.

A total of £63,000 was raised by the Committee and a new outer roof was fitted and the changing-rooms and plant-room were extended to cope with the ever-increasing load.

The Committee met again in 2010 to replace the inadequate conservatory with a high quality purpose-built building that would allow flexibility and improve access for the wide range of school, club, disabled and community use.

A total of £108,000 was raised to build the new Entrance Area and the high-quality under-floor heating and flooring materials.

The new entrance area is larger, insulated to modern standards, reduces heat escape from the pool and prevents the condensation that was a major enemy of the old conservatory.  The opportunity has been taken to further insulate the two remaining walls of the main pool building so the whole complex is now up to 2012 insulation standards.

The disabled access and an additional toilet have been integrated into the development by raising the floor level and the pool equipment can now be stored within the building.  An additional room has been constructed to be used as a meeting or group room to generate additional income.

The pool is the only community pool in West Somerset able to meet the Government mandatory standards that requires every child to be able to swim.  The pool has been an outstanding success, with a number of former swimmers subsequently competing at County, Regional and National level.

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The pool is the right project, in the right place and at the right time - the pool is a great and lasting tribute to everyone concerned.

Jim Butterworth
January 2012