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We have now received a further update from the City of London Corporation about a date for the Accessibility Works to start at the Ladies’ Pond.  Work will start on Monday 17 April 2023 and it will be necessary to close the Ladies’ Pond that morning so that fencing and the temporary toilet block can be installed.  The Ladies’ Pond is expected to re-open at 2 pm on Monday.

The works are expected to last about 6 weeks.  During this time bathing will commence at 6.45 am each morning to allow for a quiet swim, before contractors start work on site at 7.30 am. In addition pond wristbands can be used at Parliament Hill Lido by swimmers who prefer a quieter swim, away from the construction work, at other times of the day.  Lido opening hours and details here.

Further updates can be found on the City’s Twitter Feed here.

If you have any concerns or feedback whilst the work is taking place, please send these to the City via hh-swimming@cityoflondon.gov.uk (and copy to klpamailbox@gmail.com so that we can monitor any responses from the City).

Please do take into account that the Ladies’ Pond will be operating as a building site during these works, (even if in a specific area) and all members of the public will be expected to comply with any site safety instructions.  The fenced off areas will be out of bounds to anyone not authorised to be on the building site.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Work is about to commence at all of the Heath swimming ponds in order to improve access to facilities and male contractors will be on site at the Ladies’ Pond from 11th April.  This work is expected to take around six weeks to complete, and will finish around 22 May.

On 11th April, contractors will be delivering materials and setting up screened fencing and temporary toilets – it may be necessary to suspend swimming for part or all of that day to avoid any difficulties this disruption will cause – we will let you know nearer the date of opening times on 11th April.

After that and for the duration of the works, swimming will still be open, with the work area and a works access path screened off from the meadows and pond. Access to the pond will be around he side nearest to the outside shower, and the indoor changing areas will still be available.

Work will start at 7.30 am, though the Heath Management are hoping to push this back to 7.45 when the work has settled in a bit. To facilitate women swimming without men on site, the pond will open at 6.45am allowing 45 minutes of quiet and uninterrupted time before work commences.

The existing toilets are part of the refurbishment, so temporary toilets will be situated in the upper meadow, facing the gazebo. They will be completely different to the temporary toilets last summer and will be cleaner and maintained regularly.

CoL is being as helpful as they can be in the circumstances and state that contractors will be fully briefed on respecting swimmers’ privacy and keeping any movement between work and the entrance gate to the minimum necessary to facilitate the work.

“The main aim is to get this work finished as quickly as possible while staying open for swimming. We want to avoid any closures so there will need to be a bit of cooperation from swimmers too.”

If you have any queries about this work, please contact the Heath Management on HH-Swimming@cityoflondon.gov.uk

The KLPA will be celebrating the Equinox and holding its regular merchandisestall at the Ladies’ Pond on, Sunday 19 March 2023 between 9 and 11 am.

We’ll welcome the start of spring (one day early) and the promise of warmer swims to come. Our last Spring Equinox event took place in March 2019, so it is good to be resuming this KLPA ritual.

Coffee, tea and croissants will be provided (while they last). Please bring some food to share and your own cup if possible. We will have some cups available and you could also purchase a mug if you wish.

KLPA Committee volunteers will be selling mugs and fluorescent knitted hats for £10 each or for sets of 4 for just £35 (including mix and match options).  The ever popular Wild Swimming Walks book is available at our special reduced price of £10 and swim caps are available for £5.

Come along to meet other swimmers and welcome in the start of spring at the pond!

Last year we consulted KLPA members through two surveys (here and here) about proposed adaptations to the changing rooms to improve accessibility.  This feedback was shared with the City of London Corporation.  Their planning application, registered on 11 July 2022, also included works to the back fence and construction of a “stewards’ hut” along the entrance path, as well as work at the other bathing ponds. Planning consent was granted by Camden Council on 26 September 2022 without a full planning committee meeting taking place.

The City’s tendering process has taken longer than expected, due to an initial lack of interest from potential contractors and increasing construction costs.  The City is now almost at the stage of appointing a contractor and the following tentative timings have been discussed with the KLPA (please note these dates may still change).

At the Ladies’ Pond work is expected to start around 20 March 2023 and continue for 6 weeks, until the end of April 2023.  The City is planning to keep the Ladies’ Pond open during these works, although there will be some disruption:

1. The main WC block will not be available and temporary toilets are to be installed, probably inside the entrance to the large meadow.
2. The outside shower and internal changing rooms should remain available.
3. Contractors are expected to be on-site from 8am each day, and will be accessing their work area in the current accessible WC via a walkway which will be screened at the sides.
4. We have been assured by the City that the large and small meadows will remain available for changing and that privacy will be maintained for swimmers.
5. We are trying to ensure that there will be one hour in the morning (7am-8 am) when no contractors will be on-site so that the women-only environment will be maintained during that time slot.

The information above is at present tentative, and may be subject to change, as the City has not yet confirmed the appointment of a contractor.  Once contracts are signed there will be a design and mobilisation period of up to 6 weeks before work can commence anywhere on the Heath.

When we have further information about the time frame and arrangements during the works, members will be notified.  If you have any questions about the details of the construction project itself, please contact HH-Swimming@cityoflondon.gov.uk.

The KLPA is holding its first merchandise sale of 2023 next Sunday from 9 am until 11 am at the Ladies’ Pond.

We have knitted hats and mugs for £10 each, or £35 for a set of four, including mix and match options.  We also have a new delivery of the Wild Swimming Walks book, still at the reduced price of £10, rather than the retail price of £14.99.

Please come along and show your support; we look forward to seeing many KLPA members on Sunday.

Hampstead Heath workers balloted on strike action

On 16 January 2023 Ham & High reported that the trade union GMB is balloting City of London staff, including those employed on Hampstead Heath, about potential strike action following a 3% pay offer.  The result of the ballot is expected in early February.

The full article can be seen here.

The City of London is proposing price increases for activities across the Heath of at least 5% in 2023/2024.  The KLPA has responded to the proposed price increases and we are awaiting the City’s final decision.

This is an update on proposed price increases for 2023/24.  At its last  meeting with the swimming associations in December 2022, the City revealed plans to increase most charges on the Heath, including those for swimming, by 5% in the next financial year (details here).  Whilst this is less than the current inflation rate, it still represents another significant price rise after several years of such increases, including disproportionate increases for concessionary tickets since 2020. 

The KLPA and the other swimming associations were invited to submit their written comments in time for the next meeting of the Hampstead Heath Consultative Committee which takes place at 17.30 hrs on Monday 16 January 2023.  The KLPA response is attached here. A link to the online public gallery for the Consultative Committee meeting on 16 January 2023 is here.

The Consultative Committee’s deliberations will be fed back to the next meeting of the Hampstead Heath, Highgate Woods and Queen’s Park Management Committee on 8 February 2023, at which any decisions about the charges for 2023/24 are expected to be finalised.

Further updates will follow.

THAMES WATER LIVE MAP OF SEWAGE DISCHARGES
CHECK BEFORE YOU SWIM!

Following pressure from the public and campaign groups Thames Water has finally launched a real time interactive map showing discharges of sewage into our rivers. 

Their area stretches from Gloucestershire to Essex, so if you are planning to take a dip in any rivers which might be affected by foul water discharges from storm overflows, please take a look at this map first.   Recent press coverage can be seen here and here.

The Ladies’ Pond will close early on Monday 19 December 2022 so that Heath staff, including lifeguards, can attend the staff Christmas lunch at the Guildhall.

Last entry to the water will be 10.45 am and vacate water time will be 11 am.  Swimmers will be asked to leave site by 11.15 am so that staff have time to change and travel to the Guildhall.  Please help to ensure that they are able to do so on the day, by vacating in good time.

The Ladies’ Pond will be open as normal on Tuesday morning (weather permitting!) at 7.30 am.  Full details of current opening times and Christmas Day arrangements can be seen here.

There is one more opportunity to purchase KLPA mugs, hats and books before Christmas, on Sunday 18 December 2022 between 9 and 11 am.

Mugs and knitted hats are £10 each or can be bought in sets of four for £35 (including mix and match).  The Wild Swimming Walks book is available at the reduced price of £10, instead of the retail price of £14.99.  We still have a limited number of silicon hats for £5.

This will be the last stall of 2022, so please do come along if you still have some last minute presents to buy.

NEW YEAR’S DAY

Unfortunately it has not been possible to co-ordinate an organised event for New Year’s Day this year.  We are now unable to operate, as in pre-pandemic years, from the rear window of the lifeguards’ office, which causes difficulties with keeping an urn boiling and topped up in a safe location.  There are not enough committee members available on the day to operate safely from the more recently used location near to the stewards’ hut.

We hope to be able to organise an alternative event early in 2023. In the meantime if you do swim on New Year’s Day, we hope you have a very enjoyable visit to the pond and urge all members to share good wishes with the lifeguards for 2023.

The KLPA would like to wish all members a peaceful end to 2022 and a Happy New Year for 2023.

We are writing to let you know about the swimming arrangements at the Ladies’ Pond and Men’s Pond on Christmas Day.  Both ponds will close earlier than normal, as is the usual practice, in order to allow lifeguards to get away home on Christmas Day:

Ladies’ Pond

• Open at 7.30 am
• Last entry into water 11.15 am
• Vacate Water 11.30 am
• Ladies’ Pond closed for day from midday

Men’s Pond

• Open 7.30 am
• Last entry into water 10.15 am
• Vacate water 10.30 am
• Includes mixed dip for men and women 8.30 am to 10.30 am
• Pond will then close to the public so that the Lifebuoys race can take place at 11 am.
• No other races will take place at the Men’s Pond this year.

We are currently discussing with the City of London options for an event on New Year’s Day at the Ladies’ Pond, and will update members accordingly.

Please join us in thanking the lifeguards for their hard work throughout 2022, and assist them in being able to close on time on Christmas Day. 

ENJOY YOUR SWIM BUT DON’T OVERDO IT!

Recent press coverage of hypothermia incidents at Parliament Hill Lido; swimmers advised to shorten their time in the water as temperatures drop:

BBC London
Camden New Journal
Ham and High

Please enjoy your swim, heed the lifeguards’ advice and look out for your fellow swimmers.

The last KLPA merchandise sale for 2022 will take place on Saturday 3 December between 9 and 11 am at the Ladies’ Pond.  Come along to buy your seasonal gifts or to indulge yourself in a modest treat.

KLPA merchandise items continue to sell for just £5 (silicon hats) to £10 each (books, knitted hats and mugs).  There are multi-buy options for the knitted hats and mugs, including mix and match (a set of 4 for £35).  The Wild Swimming Walks book is already discounted  to £10 from the retail price of £14.99.

We have tried to keep the prices affordable through 2022 and this price range is ideal for workplace Secret Santa purposes too!  The bright knitted and silicon hats also help the lifeguards to see you when swimming in poor light conditions during the winter months.

Payment can be made by cash, cheque or card.

TIME CHANGES AT THE POND

Please note that another time change takes effect from Monday 28 November 2022, due to reduced daylight. The Ladies’ Pond will open at 7.30 am, with vacate water time moving back to 2.45 pm.  Swimmers will need to leave the Ladies’ Pond completely by 3 pm.

These times will be in effect until 4 February 2023.  Further details of time changes can be seen here.