Hi,

here's Pats report on his 29/1/07 visit. A word version with
pictures is available in the files section.
I will upload some more pictures.

Best Regards Mark


Progress Report
on
Redevelopment of the Russian & Turkish Baths and New Spa

YORK HALL USER GROUP
Pat Harragan
29th January 2007

Present :

• Andrew Meade LBTH,
• Michelle Davies GLL
• Borras site Managers

Lounge
All the ventilation seams to be complete. The trunking is up and
runs all around the room hidden by a new design ceiling which
leaves the original height in the centre. This gives the impression
of a "Light box"
• All the windows looking into the Turkish hot room have been
bricked up
• All the lower walls have been tiled to a height of about 3
foot,
• The upper parts of the walls are being prepared for the
Wediboard cladding.


Hamam
New Seating in the Hamman

The old changing area is being converted to a resting area, or
a `Hamam' with under floor heating.
• The brickwork for the water feature and fountain has been
carried out
• Part off the double height benches have installed in one
corner
• Parts of the walls have been cladded.
• The old toilet area has been complete cleared and made ready
for the new Large Sauna; Work on ramp for Wheel-chairs is also under
way.
Wet Area
• In the wet area new drains have been installed

Turkish Rooms - Progress

• A drain has also been set in the first Turkish room tiling
but has yet to be completed;
• the Marble benches in the first Turkish room have been
cleaned.
• All the walls in the Turkish rooms have still yet to be
cleaned.
• No other changes will be made in these area's, except for
lighting.

Turkish Rooms – Concerns: Poor Drainage

I'm still concerned about the floor drainage, plenty of water is
still settling about the sunken area in corners and along front of
the benches in the second Turkish room, after the contractors laid
buckets water over the floor, the same test should tried in the
third Turkish room.

Large Steam Room

• The larger Steam room, has altered from its irregular "L"
shaped layout to a more regular rectangular layout.
• It is now about 21 feet in length by 9 feet wide.
• Work has started on the new ceiling supporting.

Very-Hot / Medium Steam room

• All has been cleared
• New drains have been set in
• Both windows have been bricked up
• The wall are being made ready for the cladding

Steam Rooms – Concerns: No Dividing wall

I'm still trying to get the original dividing wall section
reinstalled. This is needed for the Practicing of Schmaizing, and to
give a heat differential area



Plung Pool – Concerns : Significant Reduction in Size
Many users of the Russian & Turkish Baths will be very disappointed
with alteration to the Cold Water Plunge that have significantly
reduced its size. 2 things have contributed to this

1. The alteration to allow easier disabled access by reducing
adding steps and so extending the steps further into the pool

2. Installation of the `Mush-Ice-Box' or Chilling system
in/over the plunge. The new machine will be installed on brick
stands that have been constructed in the pool its self.

Changing Area : Concerns : Security & Numbers of Lockers

The new large changing area gives me grave concern in regards to
security, too many corners into dead ends with blind spots.

• Space for only 48 half-height lockers in large changing area
• Space for only 28 half-hieght lockers in the small changing
room.
• Some could replaced with full height lockers.
• Open sighted coat hooks in both large and small rooms that
will never be used because of security should be replaced with full
height lockers.
• The new small changing room should be the primary changing
room as it has better security.

Next steps

Users meeting is being discussed and will probably be held next
month.
Press release says Spring opening.

Some points for the users meeting :-

1. Staffing – single sex required on single sex sessions
2. Improved security in changing rooms
3. Clothing optional rules
4. Water in steam rooms to rinse down surfaces and for cooling
off
5. Steam room doors should have gap at bottom to let colder air
pass freely when the door is opened and closed.
6. Fresh water drinking fountain located between steam rooms.