I HAVE lived in Belvedere for more than 29 years and visited Belvedere through most of my childhood having had grandparents living in Raglan Road.

I have always regarded the paddling pool or lido on Heron Hill as one of the pleasures of living in this area.

It has always been a delight to walk through the lido, seeing the crocuses in the spring, families enjoying the pool in the summer, walking through autumn leaves or walking through on a crisp winter morning.

As you wandered through it seemed beautiful and peaceful.

Sometimes you could sit on one of the benches there and ponder life for a while, wondering what the lido had seen over the many years it has been in existence.

Sometimes you would pass people sitting there having their lunch, probably enjoying the peace and tranquillity they found there.

You would pass friends as well as strangers, schoolchildren and elderly people.

Most people would walk through rather than walking around outside the lido.

I am most concerned it has become a place which appears to be out of bounds to me now.

The gates are locked and I can only look through the gates as I walk past.

In the summer you are unable to walk through as only one of the three gates is open.

It is a great disappointment to me and having spoken to friends and neighbours it seems they are feeling the disappointment too.

Is this a place the residents of Belvedere and the surrounding area cannot enjoy any more?

KAREN WEST

Raglan Road

Belvedere