Make sure your pool is worth it

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33092, 6 December 1972, Page 11

Make sure your pool is worth it

A private swimming pool can be a much bigger expense than most people realise, especially if there are any errors in design or construction. Properly tailored to meet your needs, it can become the focal point for family life and entertainment—but if this is not done, the pool may become a white elephant instead. For these reasons, it is essential to consider a great many factors before-coming to any decision. Too many backyard pools are left empty winter and summer because the younger members of the family prefer surfing or the pool is too much trouble to keep clean. The novelty of a private pool can also wear off after a month or so. Because it is no longer a distant dream but a reality within a few steps of the house, there is the risk that it can be taken for granted. It may become an effort to take a swim. At the other end of the

scale there is the great enjoyment of summer time swimming in the privacy and pleasant surroundings of your own garden. A pool will bring relaxation because apart from swimming, the older members of a family will be encouraged to take leisurely meals alongside it, to lay back in comfortable chairs and sunbake. Most home pools which cater for serious swimmers are 30ft x 12ft or 15ft. This rectangular size has proved most effective and most popular for general family use. If there is a potential champion swimmer in the family it may be worth while extending the length to 32ft lOin (10 metres). The shape of your pool, of course, will be determined to some extent by the available site. Some people prefer the curved lines of a free-form pool rather than the symmetrical shape of a rectangular pool.