The barricades have finally come down at Tarlair Pools, revealing a fresh-look pavilion that could soon be an operational cafe.
Friends of Tarlair say they have started their search for staff for the venue as they announced the long-awaited renovation of the pools area could start this year.
It is now more than 12 years since the original members of the community group held their first meeting and began to turn a tide that had seen their beloved outdoor baths slip into disrepair.
In its prime, the 1930’s lido, at Macduff, brought thousands of visitors to the area every year and it was even the venue for a number of huge open air concerts.
Rising costs, dwindling numbers and changing pastimes began to take their toll, however, and the lido finally closed in 1996.
For years there were murmurings of efforts to reopen the site and those eventually became a dedicated community group, the Friends of Tarlair,
Years of planning, hard work and fundraising has already gone into the project and now all those efforts are beginning to come to fruition.
Last year, the Friends began renovations at the pool’s pavilion, and an impressive transformation is already visible.
The pitted, dirty and graffitied walls have gone and in their place there is a fresh and clean building that looks back to its Art Deco best.
A poolside cafe has also taken shape and could open within months, once the team are properly staffed.
Tarlair cafe could open when staff are found
Pat Wain, chairwoman of Friends of Tarlair says that although there is no set opening date, they “hope to be open right away” after they secure a cook and volunteers to operate the cafe.
The cafe can be turned into an adaptable soundproof space which is set to hold music lessons.
And discussions are ongoing over plans to rent out to the space as a possible wedding venue in the future.
Work to rejuvenate the boating, paddling and swimming pools that were once the heart of the community could also be underway by the end of this year.
The original changing rooms are, however, beyond repair and will need to be demolished for health and safety reasons.
Pools excavation could take place in 2025
The chairwoman said: “There are stages we’ve got to go through. There’s a period of time where we have to wait and see if the funding we’ve just applied for is successful.
“If it is, then this can very quickly be taken to the planning phase.”
“By the end of February we would know if we have the funding to take everything to the planning stage, which would mean we’d know what design we’re looking for.”
The group is looking to agree a 99-year lease for the pools, similar to the deal they struck for the pavilion with Aberdeenshire Council.
Although Pat says, “nothing in funding is guaranteed” she also says she’d, “like to see us start the excavation on the big pool at the latter end of this year”.
By the end of 2025, we could see the almost 13-year journey coming closer to its end and Pat says “Obviously, we want to see as much success as quickly as possible”.
Conversation