WITH regard to your article of February 7, "Millions may be spent on new pool for town", I wish to respond.

You appear to have forgotten that Bolton Sports Centre on Silverwell Street was another closure before the more recent closure of The Water Place. It is a disgrace that one of the biggest towns in the country does not have a large leisure centre at its heart. Remember that Bolton has a long-standing campaign for city status. Can Bolton honestly expect this to be granted in light of the fact that it has no facility that could be a flagship leisure centre for Bolton? I don't think facilities over in Horwich qualify for this.

Any new facility being considered should be right in the town centre, and not just a 25-metre pool, but a true community-orientated leisure centre with a fun pool, sports hall used for badminton, five-a-side football, netball, basketball etc, squash and a gymnasium.

I also disagree with your comment, which defended the council's choice to close The Water Place. The damage was done in the years before closure, when a lack of investment, and imagination, condemned The Water Place to an inevitable slow death.

How can the council say that they suffered from competition from private facilities? The Water Place was a family-orientated fun pool. I don't see any water flumes at Esporta or Total Fitness. The council should get its act together and build a facility that we can be proud of and not another badly managed, loss-making "white elephant" like The Water Place and Bolton Arena.

Richard H Gaskell

Victoria Road

Markland Hill

Bolton