Woolston Baths Are Taking Shape

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31062, 18 May 1966, Page 18

Woolston Baths Are Taking Shape

The new Woolston swimming pool is beginning to take shape. The building activity is testimony to a triumph of local community interest over a local government decision and what appeared at first to be public apathy.

I The City Council wanted to dispense with the old Woolston baths and have a central swimming pool serving several suburbs. That did not suit two Woolston men, Messrs A. H. McHugh and J. B. Andersen, who began work about three years ago and who formed the Woolston Baths Restoration Committee two years ago. They became chairman and secretary respectively, and have held the unenvied offices ever since.

' First the City Council was adamant that there was no chance of having the baths restored, but the enthusiasm of Messrs McHugh and Andersen and the few men and women who joined them carried the day and the council is now on the list of contributors to the extent of £1650, plus a loan of £350. With some money in hand, the committee applied for and received a grant of £3OOO from the Golden Kiwi lottery profits, and now it is seeking a new grant in. line with

those made to other swimming pools. A year ago there was only £l2BO in hand. Today the committee has £12,540, and recently a contract for the baths was let to Mr H. N. van de Kolk, a builder, who has built a pool at Darfield. His tender of £10,987 was the lowest of eight which ranged to £18,580.

Early in December it is hoped that the 110 ft by 42ft pool will be opened, but that will not be the end of fundraising activities because the heating and filtration plants have still be paid for and installed.

Having achieved what they had been told was the impossible, Messrs McHugh and Andersen are confident that the extra money will not raise any difficulties. They acknowledged yesterday that Woolston businesses and factories had been most generous, contributing £2600 towards the funds, with £lOOO coming from one major industry. Help had also come from the four schools in the area Woolston, Bamford, Bromley and St. Annes—and this would be recognised when the baths were opened by giving the children from the schools free use of the baths during school hours. It was hoped that there would be an income of £3OOO to £4OOO once the baths opened, and this would meet the operating costs which would include employment of a caretaker.