Halifax swimming pool mural only likely to survive digitally, councillors are warned

The colourful mosaic by Kenneth Barden decorated part of the wall of the now-closed Halifax Swimming Pool at Skircoat Road.

Amid the Covid pandemic it was closed and Calderdale Council deem the building to be at the end of its life.

A new pool is planned as part of the council’s £35 million leisure centre which is to be built across town at North Bridge when the current leisure centre there is demolished.

Councillors who hoped the original might be saved and used have been told that following survey by an expert damage means it is only likely to make the move in photographic form.

Coun Sue Holdsworth (Lib Dem, Greetland and Stainland) asked about the mosaic’s future.

She said the mosaic, “British Pond Life”, is referred to in the Pevsner Architectural Guide and in Historic England’s publication Introduction To Heritage Assets which focuses on post-war public art.

Coun Holdsworth said it is still on the 20th Century Society’s “at risk” register.

People had been able to view it from the Skircoat Road pool’s opening in 1966 until the more recent closure.

She asked if Cabinet would “agree that this important artwork should remain accessible to all and not lost in any demolition or redevelopment of the former swimming pool building?”

Responding, Cabinet member for Public Services and Communities, Coun Danielle Durrans, said a specialist conservation consultant was commissioned to carry out a detailed survey of the mural’s condition and potential operations for its removal.

But the survey had identified stress cracking to a significant number of tiles and that a large section of one of the elevations had become detached and at some point in the past replaced with a strip of white tiles.

The survey had also identified it would not be possible to remove it without causing further damage.

However, images of the work might be utilised in the new centre’s designs, said Coun Durrans (Lab, Ovenden).

“Consequently, digital images of the murals have been captured and are now available for future use as part of the Halifax leisure project and design options are being explored to utilise these images and colour palettes within the scheme,” she said.

Some councillors have argued the original pool building could have been repaired and restored using some leisure grant money from Government which is being put towards developing the new centre, but others agreed with officers’ advice the building was beyond economic repair.