IT is time, once again, to blow the dust from that famous and table-thumpingly large volume entitled Things People Have Suggested For the Future Use of the Fort Regent.

Where is that damn thing when you need it?

Rather like a book of Witty, Pithy Comebacks for Life’s Unfortunate Situations, it is a book which everyone should have access to from time to time.

The use of such a book – the Fort one rather than the pith – would be so that we could look back, groan and say ‘Gosh yes, I remember when we were going to use it as a training centre for acrobats and trapeze artists.’ That may never actually have been suggested but, let’s face it, it’s a glaring gap in the local career market.

To be honest, on a scale gauging Jersey’s ability to leave a perfectly usable space to get increasingly derelict, the Fort pool has a long way to go.

It only closed five years ago, for goodness sake. Even the former Girl’s College has the edge on that – not to mention all the buildings which have become hard hat areas due to planning disputes.

The latest idea is for the lease of the now derelict building which houses the old pool to be taken over by two church groups with the intention of making it into a huge community centre for the Island.

The idea would be for it to be used as a venue for charities, religious groups and for events.

Hmm, a building which is useful for more than one section of the community and offers a large space for community events with adequate parking close by.
Do they really think it will catch on?