Checks underway for safe reopening for changing rooms and pavilions

Checks to ensure that changing rooms and sports pavilions can reopen safely are continuing across Bridgend County Borough.

Because of the need to carry out Legionella tests, flush out systems and check that water storage tanks have been fully chlorinated, the pavilions and changing rooms are being re-introduced as quickly as possible on a rolling basis.

To date, the Bandstand pavilion at Newbridge Fields, Cae Gof, Croft Goch, North Cornelly, Cwm Garw, Lawrence Park, Evanstown and Aberfields have all been completed.

Cllr Stuart Baldwin said: “Because of the nature of this work, it was not possible to initiate it until the move to alert level zero was confirmed. After all, you cannot test that a premises is safe to use and then leave it untouched for several months before reopening – the tests have to be up to date in order to be both effective and valid.

“Given the length of time that such facilities have been closed because of Covid-19, our biggest concern is in ensuring that water systems which have not been used over the course of the pandemic remain safe.

“The testing is paying off as some of the facilities have had to be treated to prevent Legionnaire’s disease, an extreme form of pneumonia which can develop if someone breathes in tiny droplets of water containing the bacterium.

“While the process of ensuring facilities are safe is costly and takes time, we are not prepared to put the lives of users at risk, and will not reopen a venue until we can be certain that people’s well-being will not be affected.

“Every effort is being made to complete this process as quickly as possible, and to help ensure that services and facilities can return to normal and be used safely by local people.”