Overview

Visiting the Commonwealth Pool for the first time it was reasonable accessible and offers a range of facilities.

Transport & Parking

There's a fairly large car park near to the front door. Several bays are dedicated for use by disabled people. If arriving by bus there are bus stops within 200m of the entrance. I did find when arriving, by bus, that the accessible route to the entrance was not clear. A signpost would help. You head off to the left as you face the building and you'll find an opening with a sloped path up to the doors.

Access

Although the pool ticks all the boxes for physical accessibility the lack of information on the website and poor signage could be improved. my visits was as a spectator so I can't comment on the swimming experience. There's a good cafe called 'Refresh' and a wheelchair viewing platform to watch the swimming. The viewing platform gives a good view of the main pool and a distant view of the diving pool.

Toilets

The accessible toilets were very good with plenty of space and room for a carer. Grab rails, alarm, clean and free of obstructions. There are two accessible loos adjacent to the cafe on the left hand side. Another is toward the back of the pools past the wheelchair viewing platform.

Staff

Staff were helpful when approached and provided the information requested. A very reactive response rather than proactive actions.

Anything else you wish to tell us?

Having been to several pools, the Commonwealth Pool has some fine tuning to do in order to make the experience more welcoming for disabled people. Some signage to way mark the accessible route to get in and clearer directions to the accessible toilets (readable from wheelchair height) would be a great help. Some information about swimming as a disabled person would also be welcome.

Photos