While the weather's still balmy, check out 13 Outdoor Pools And Lidos For Open-Air Swimming In London This Summer.
A new 25-metre-long lido could be on the cards for east London, after Redbridge Council unveiled plans for a stunning-looking outdoor swimming spot in Valentines Park, Ilford.
The proposals for the six-lane outdoor swimming pool were announced last year, but things are now picking up pace, with CGI mock-ups and a public consultation. The lido — which the council would like to have completed in summer 2024 — would replace one that stood nearby from 1923-1995, and its design echoes many features of that predecessor.
A CGI mock up video (below) shows a stylish lido flanked by grass-topped colonnades with changing facilities, and a deco-style fountain at one end of the pool (a la Tooting Bec Lido), behind which are a series of layered lawns. At the other end of the pool is a pergola, beneath which people sit at tables and chairs.
The complex would also feature a children's splash pad, a cafe, gym, dance/exercise studio, and a recreation/picnic area. It's all rather dreamy, and no doubt would do Ilford the world of good.
Cllr Kam Rai, Deputy Leader of Redbridge Council and Cabinet Member for Finance and Regeneration said: "The new lido will provide a sustainable, fun, and social place for people to exercise in the great outdoors, while boosting our local economy and restoring the heritage of Valentines Park."
Right now, the lido is in the consultation part of the process; in the meantime, there's still plenty to get up to in Valentines Park: from its boating lake to a Grecian grotto... you can even even get married here.
