AYRSHIRE’S first indoor swimming pool will close its door for the last time next month. 

Garnock Swimming Pool first opened back in March of 1969 and now almost 50 years later a piece of Garnock Valley history will be lost forever. 

Located in the heart of Kilbirnie, you can sense the real feeling of community as soon as you walk in, everyone knows everyone else, there’s a friendliness and a warmth that you would possibly expect from a private members club, not from a publicly accessible swimming baths.

The facilities within are not without their faults, as age and experience affect them, but the new home of the pool will by welcomed as the state-of-the-art new community campus is set to open.

The staff at Garnock are more than that, they are a family and with decades of experience between them, you get a real feeling of togetherness that you wouldn’t find in many places. 

Anne Steven and Brian Kerr both started in Garnock over a quarter of a century ago and their broad smiles when talking about the years gone past show just what the pool means to them and to the rest of the local community. 

Both work as lifeguards and were amongst the first in the west coast to receive their qualifications for lifeguard training. 

Brian explained what life is like working in the Garnock Valley, he said: “It’s great meeting the public. This is a community pool, we ken everybody in and around here by name. There’s an apprehension about moving but the new pool will be new and better but we will miss this place.” 

Anne added: “It’s sad and emotional but we are excited. The pool holds a dear place in our hearts, we will miss it.!”

The staff pride themselves on longevity and low turnover with five of the current crop of staff clocking up over 100 years of experience between them. 

Susan Bell is the receptionist and has worked in the pool for over 20 years but first got involved when she was just nine-years-old. 

To celebrate and to remember everything that has happened over the years, a night was organised at the Garnock Social Club were over 150 staff, ex-staff, pool users and family and friends turned out to reminisce, blow off steam and have a drink to the pool that they all know and love. 

The organisers want to pass on their thanks to all the staff, their family and friends, RT Cycle, Mini Market, Ramages Bar, Trophy Dog Food, Action Club, Joe McGowan’s Butcher, the Co-op, the GP referrals group, Ladeside Club, Murray Martin, Next, Milton Shop, the Brown Bull, Jenna Hewitson Piercing, Anaya’s, Maripossa, Tesco, the Sharks Club, CK Construction, Liz Anne Munro for the cake and to Mark Asbury for the use of the hall and its facilities. 

The money raised on the night through a very successful raffle will be given to the MAP Club and a donation will also be made to Project Kilbirnie. 

The staff are pictured poolside with the exception of Willie Trivett, the Garnock Sharks are pictured at their last meet before the move and the staff and guests in their best attire are pictured at the recent celebration night.