Centennial Pool

Press, Volume C, Issue 29554, 1 July 1961, Page 3

Centennial Pool

Sir,—Mr Donaldson’s suggestion of a separate openair diving pool and roofed swimming pool extending through the existing learners’ pool seems to merit a full, impartial investigation. I am not connected with any swimming dub. but view this problem from my experience of 20 years as an examiner for the Canterbury

branch. Royal Life-saving Society. I know full well the difficulties encountered in prosecuting this vital work through the lack of an indoor heated pool. The congestion in the Centennial Pool during the fraction of the summer season which coincides with the time the schools are open, needs to oe experienced to be believed. Examinations have to be crammed into about three weeks, twice a year, many of them in unheated school baths as late as the end of March when one feels like a torturer requiring candidates to swim in bitterly cold conditions. A roofed pool is the answer.—Yours, etc., BARBARA ARCHER. June 30, 1961. Sir,—So the City Council does not want to roof the Centennial Pool! All the swimming fraternity are crying out to have the pool roofed, but the council, in Us doubtful wisdom, claims to know the wishes of the people better than the swimmers and say a roof is not necessary. Will they never i learn? They claim the cost is too great. Surely there are other alternatives. It has been suggested that the | tower should be eut down to five metres Ido not know what the divers think of that idea, but judging by the number that use the 10metre tower. 1 doubt if they would oppose the tower being lowered. Anything would be better than the present set-up. Citizens of Christchurch who know this pool was to be their centennial memorial, should insist that it be a credit to the city,—Yours, etc., LIFE GUARD. June 29. 1961. Sir.—l feel that many people have completely lost sight of the fact that our Centennial Pool was intended to be the New Zealand Centennial Memorial for Christchurch and as such should have been completed years ago. Did not the original plans which were submitted to the Government in order to get the subsidy include a roof? As I recall, these plans wore satisfactory: why have they been shelved? How much money has been lost through the building never having been completed? How much has been wasted in deterioration of the uncovered seating and repairs to the so-called temporary buildings? Will the City Council answer these questions? The whole business of the unfinished pool is shocking and a disgrace to Christchurch. I admire the efforts of the Canterbury Swimming Centre to rouse the City Council into action. I deplore the apathy that has left our memorial unfinished for so long.—Yours, etc., STILL HOPING, June 26, 1961. Un reply to the above letter and to others, Cr. R. G. Brown (chairman of the Christchurch City Council baths committee) said he had arranged for a joint meeting of the finance and baths committees to meet a deputation from the Canterbury centre of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association on Tuesday, July 4. at 4.30 p.m. to hear their proposals for the completion of the pool. "Acceptance of the Loans Board approval for a loan to finish the worx expires early next year," said Cr. Brown, "and Tuesday’s meeting should pave the way for final plans and recommendations to be made to the full council at an early date.”]