SO here we are. Round two of the saga over the future of the River Park Leisure Centre. Following the collapse of the misguided deal with Southampton University the city council is again trying to carve out a future for the site.

The Chronicle fears that as is now the tradition in Winchester, the city council will again get things wrong. It is part of human nature and the DNA of modern-day councillors that they want to do BIG things. They have wanted to do big things at Silver Hill and Station Approach with a singular lack of success. Now they are turning to the River Park Leisure Centre and no doubt their ambitions will be similarly lofty. But can the Chronicle make a suggestion. One that will likely never happen. Set aside the area for a lido and paddling pool. Nothing would increase the quality of life for thousands in Winchester than the ability to swim in the sunshine.

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The lido at Worthy Lane (now a car park) was replaced in 1974 by the first leisure centre in Gordon Road which burned down in 1987 to be replaced by the current crumbling building. The argument in the 1970s was that the new indoor centre would be much better than the outdoor lido and quirky pool just off Garnier Road.

There is no doubt the new leisure centre at Bar End is excellent and the know-alls who decried it have gone noticeably silent.

The derelict River Park Leisure Centre (Image: Newsquest) But a lido is a different beast to a indoor pool. It is not just a place to swim, it is a somewhere to meet people and just enjoy the simple but huge pleasure of being outdoors with the sun on your face. It would do wonders for people's mental health.

It could be successfully run by a charity or social enterprise as elsewhere in the UK. There is no shortage of qualified committed people in Winchester to run the thing.

The city council should get out of its mindset that big is beautiful and create something that would be loved and cherished for generations.