Residents have given a mixed response to the news Gurnell Leisure Centre will be knocked down in September 2018 as part of a major revamp.
The popular facility will be shut and rebuilt to include around 500 flats on site, a new 50 metre swimming pool, café and larger gym.
Previously Labour's Ealing Council had said it would close in 2017, but it emerged this date will now be in September 2018 with a view to reopening in the summer of 2020.
Residents gave a mixed response to the £37.7million project, of which the council will contribute £12.5million despite previously saying it would be "cost neutral".
Gurnell Leisure Centre
Gym user Chris Lowe, an ex-BBC news presenter, said: "There are a lot of people's interests to be taken in to account.
"The fact it (the closure) is being put back, it can't go back any further than that, indicates to me how words are cheap and actions are rather more expensive.
"It raises very serious questions about how long it takes before it is reopened.
"They talk about 20 months, there is going a lot of piglets flying over Gurnell for that to happen.
"I understand why they are doing it but from a leisure point of view I'm unhappy about using Gurnell to solve these housing problems.
"I would be prepared to bet £100 with Cllr Bassam Mahfouz that it will not be up and running 20 months from the date of closure, it is just words.
"It seems to me to be a reasonable assumption to have a car parking space for each flat."
It also emerged through a series of a consultation meetings that £5million will be put towards ensuring a percentage of homes are "affordable", although it is not yet clear what the percentage will be.
Labour Cllr Bassam Mahfouz, in response to Mr Lowe, said: "We have already redeveloped Northolt Leisure Centre and Acton Leisure Centre and these were delivered on time, we have a fantastic record.
"While we can't guarantee it (the opening date) in terms of a track record in delivering, Ealing is right up there."
He added he would not be accepting Mr Lowe's offer of a £100 bet.
In a previous statement Labour Cllr Mahfouz, following a call from Conservative Cllr Ian Proud to allocate one parking space per flat, said: "I’m proud that this Labour Council is committed to building a state of the art £38m new leisure centre at Gurnell with improved outdoor facilities and that we’ve also committed to building affordable housing alongside it.
"The reckless Tory obsession with cars would mean us losing the family leisure pool to pay for parking spaces that would sit empty.
"Whilst the Tories in Ealing want to gamble away our family leisure facilities, we’re focused on delivering an amazing new 50m pool, leisure facility and affordable housing."
One person on social media, Meriam Ghulam, said the project, which will see six blocks of flats with one 15 storeys high, was "way overdue".
But another, Paul Junior, said: "The road is already like a car park and yet more housing?"
And Claire Crowle said there was "no infrastructure in place regarding schools, doctors, hospitals".
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