£600,000 to be spent on Renfrew Victory Baths after investment approved
A series of steps will extend the life of the B-listed building in the town.
Hundreds of thousands of pounds are set to be spent on the iconic Renfrew Victory Baths after investment was given the green light by elected members.
A total of £600,000 has been earmarked to fund steps to extend the life of the B-listed building, including works beneath the pool, concrete and masonry repairs, roof and drainage upgrades and general improvements to maintain the character of the facility.
Its status as a Renfrew Common Good asset means the costs will be shared between the common good fund and Renfrewshire Council, with the common good contribution capped at £500,000.
The move was approved at the local authority's finance, resources and customer services policy board on Thursday, with board convener Councillor John Shaw describing the investment as "welcome".
The baths is an Edwardian 25-yard pool which was designed by Paisley architect Thomas Graham Abercrombie and dates back to 1921, a paper considered at the board said.
Historical structural interventions and both in-house and consultant inspections have been ongoing since 2011. The last major refurbishment was around 1996/97 and the most recent upgrade work was a boiler renewal in 2021 in advance of the building's 100-year anniversary.
Councillor Edward Grady, a Labour representative for Renfrew South and Gallowhill, said: "I warmly welcome this report and fully support the proposal to this finance board.
"The Victory Baths has been a cornerstone of Renfrew town centre for generations and its value to the Renfrew community cannot be overstated."
The paper explained that at more than a century old the building is "naturally showing signs of age" and in November a structural engineering consultancy was commissioned to conduct a non-intrusive survey.
Their report, issued in December and revised in January, advised targeted investment could extend the life of the building, depending on the extent of remedial works carried out.
Councillor Shaw, who is also an SNP representative for Renfrew North and Braehead, has described the baths as a "cherished part" of Renfrew's heritage.
He added at the meeting: "This secures the baths in the short to medium-term and longer term, there's still a bit of work to do but this is a hugely important first step."
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