Letchworth father voices concern over girls using men’s changing rooms

A man has voiced his concern over the age of young girls using the men’s changing facilities at a leisure centre.

Greg Kornalski, 35, of Chagny Close in Letchworth GC, was a member of North Herts Leisure Centre on Baldock Road in the town.

He noticed dads using the male changing rooms with their daughters, even though they are five, six or older.

The father-of-one said: “Sharing a changing room and showers with naked adult males isn’t the best experience for their psyche.

“I went to tell one of the managers my concerns. They said they would look into the problem, as the parents with kids should be using family cubicles.”

Mr Kornalski’s membership expired, but when he went back with a friend recently he noticed nothing had changed.

“I went to have a shower and had to stay in my trunks as next to me was a little girl of about four to five years,” he said.

“My concern is not only about the psyche of the young girls, but also potential paedophiles. Someone has to do something to protect these innocent girls as their parents seem to be absolutely thoughtless.”

North Herts Leisure Centre, which is run by North Hertfordshire District Council, said the policy in the changing rooms is the same for all areas of the centre in terms of access.

A spokesman for the leisure centre said: “All children under the age of eight need to be accompanied by an adult at all times within the centre, with the exception of courses and play schemes, as these are supervised activities by the centre staff adhering to set ratios.

“Therefore children attending with just one of their parents, may, on occasions, need to change in the opposite changing room up until the age of eight. Having said this, there are also alternative changing rooms within the centre, including three sets of accessible changing rooms which can be used for more privacy for either regular swimmers or families.