In a heated meeting on Tuesday, families clashed with representatives of East Thames Housing over plans to build a 110-bed "foyer" for young people on the site.Labo/Swan Housing have put forward a counter proposal to re-build the pool in East India Dock Road and landscape the surrounding area.
But David Chesterton , who runs the E15 Foyer in Stratford and supports East Thames said there was no conflict between the two proposals.
He told the meeting (in) the Old St Matthaius Church Hall Poplar:" we are only going to use part of the site so the baths could still be rebuilt".
There is nothing in our proposal that would stop the development of a swimming pool." In the end it is a council decision."
Glynn Robbins from Labo Housing Agreed and said: "If we are unsuccessful in our bid Then I have suggested that we combine the plans".
But Poplar families continued to be heavily critical of East Thames plans
They said that a similar (foyer) scheme already existed in Weavers Field and that the area did not need another one.
Also backing the pool plan with a letter was a local councillor who wrote:"As someone who learned to swim at Polar Baths in the 1970's I have very fond memories of the pool and would welcome a chance to regenerate the site."
"I am strongly against the East Thames plans. With all the development of waterways in the area it is important to teach everyone to swim."
But Frank Vickery assistant chief executive of East Thames said "we are still at the drawing board stage and our researcher is still making enquires."