Dear Editor,
I wonder what the thinking is behind the leisure centre in Newcastle Emlyn being closed on Sundays? I am sure that this predated the current recession. Have we learnt nothing form the recessions of the 70s and 80s when there were plenty of "new deal" socialist policies in place to avail people who were unemployed or low waged of high quality education, training, health and exercise facilities. It is essential at a time like this to provide low cost facilities to nurture and sustain people for whatever the future will be when this recession is over.
Should the thinking be that the leisure centre is underused therefore not "cost effective" to open, might it not be that for the unemployed, low waged and families, it is simply too expensive. Certainly a squash court for £5 for three quarters of an hour is expensive for most in this day and age. I presume that the Sunday closure is not left over from church and chapel attendance.
During the 80s there was a boom in volunteering and such centres might be opened with the assistance of volunteers who would thus gain valuable training and experience. Perhaps the higher paid from larger local employers might assist!
I was asked recently by a community worker how one would assess the "low waged"? Perhaps in the same way as we trust families not to hire in spare children for discounted family tickets, by trusting them.
Looking forward to some blue sky thinking,
AUDLEY PARRY BURNETT
Penboyr
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