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Residents and children enjoying the Athlone House paddling pool |
Safety chiefs backstroke away from paddling pool ban
NOT the average sight on a housing estate, is this Camden’s biggest paddling pool?
The children – and a few of their parents too – living in Athlone House estate in Kentish Town, have finally won permission to splash around to the heart’s content in the eye-catching pool. Now all they need is some sunshine.
They can’t do much about the unpredictable weather but residents told this week how they were not going to let the health and safety team from St Pancras Housing Association, which runs the 1930s blocks, stop their summer time fun.
The pool and some grub from a barbecue bought with money from a door-to-door whiparound has been a tradition on the estate in Wilkin Street for 25 years, but
officials fired out a warning last week that the party might have to be curbed. A letter to residents ordered them to remove barbecue equipment and the pool.
Martin Loughran, a resident of 21 years standing, said: “People often moan that people don’t interact with each other any more. This brings everyone together, it’s fun, and means people can keep an eye on their kids.”
The paddling pool sits in a
communal stretch of tarmac flanked by the galleried blocks of Athlone House.
But the housing association’s officers had said that there were complaints from neighbouring houses about noise, while the barbecue and pool were not allowed on the estate, according to residents.
After a temporary stand-off – and an enquiry from the New Journal – the housing association, now part of Origin Housing group, agreed that residents should
continue their traditions provided basic safety guidelines were in place. An Origin spokesman said: “We are more than happy for residents of Athlone House to hold barbecues in the communal garden and to use paddling pools, but for the benefit of all residents we must make sure this is done safely.”
Michael Furnell, 56, was born in Athlone House and has lived there ever since. He said: “The barbecue and the swimming are for everyone on the estate. Some rules you’ve got to have, but there should be room for common sense.” |
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