SWIMMING FACILITIES

Evening Star, Issue 22891, 24 February 1938, Page 7

SWIMMING FACILITIES

PROPOSED MODERNISING OF > ST. CLAIR BATHS COMPREHENSIVE SCHEME BY MR W. J. BARDSLEY . Various schemes have heen proposed for the improvement of the St. Clair Baths, but none has been more comprehensive or interesting than that suggested by Mr W. J. Bardsley, who has prepared sketch plans of a proposal which he considers would bring the ibaths up to date and provide better •facilities for the youth of the city to learn to swim. As he points out, the baths and the appointments there are i; crude, and he claims that they reflect little credit on the successive City Councils of Dunedin. , . } “As a youth I resided at St. Clair f iand was a constant visitor to the -baths,” writes Mr Bardsley. “ Even in {those days the baths,_ with the accomrmodation, were definitely crude. To--s‘day the baths and accommodation may {still be correctly described as crude. ySere let me say I am offering no critiJ'cism of the present caretaker’s administration, as there are few people who • can make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. r . “ The haths certainly reflect little ■ cerdit on the successive City Councils, under whose control they have always remained. It is amazing that bo little development has taken place over a period of years. There has recently heen some decidedly' pungent criticism in your columns, but it has been quite gentlemanly compared with some I nave . heard at various times, and quite reticently. It goes without saying_ that inhere must be something. seriously iiwrong with pur council’s vision wh<?n. {after so many years, the baths can be ;'*o grievously assailed. Like many 'others. I am quite unable to underi stand how our city fathers—present and past—men capable on occasion of taking the long view, continue to follow the lino of least resistance, ignoring the need for urgent and material improvement and development' at the baths, even if one leaves out of consideration the potentialities of a St. Clair to St, Kilda highway^ “ The possibilities and need of bringing into being a high standard of bathing accommodation will he apparent to ) any thoughtful observer. A city does not begin and end with streets and bricks. The late Mr Mark Cohen was ever alive to the potentialities of the St. Clair-St. Kilda beach and environments as a pleasure resort. Frequently he urged that advantage should be taken of the possibilities and that some extension scheme should be commenced. Knowing that I had been_ associated with the Caroline Bay (Timaru) development, which has brought outstanding results, Mr Cohen urged me to associate myself with him in a further attempt to arouse interest in a com- , prehensive scheme to bring the baths up io modern standard and to construct a promenade in an easterly, direction. . I ; ,waa too busy, however, with my official .."duties in those years,.and.regretfully ; could not join forces with him. •. “No one needs to be told that, in imany features, Dunedin is the 'queen ! city ’of the Dominion.. Is the time not [opportune for a long view in this mat;ter? .Let a questionnaire bo submitted | to candidates for the City Council. I ■have the temerity to suggest to my fellow-citizens and to sporting people 'generally that the time is opportune for a move to be made. “At some later date I may submit a plan andl a scheme for a highway from St. Clair to St. Kilda. Of course, that is not a new idea, but my plan may be of a different character, and .would place Dunedin even more definitely, on the map.’ Visitors have often, said that if. they had the Dunedin ocean frontage they would ‘ boom ’ their cities beyond the possibilities of ‘ all competitors. “For the present, however, I am Concerned, more definitely with the baths, where there is a glaring and undeniable need. Consequently, I submit a plan giving a development proposal. It is not necessary that the whole scheme should be carried out at once, though if that were possible it would be eminently desirable. It will be seen from the plan that provision is made for 66 additional sheds, for three additional showers, and for other necessary accommodation. Over the top of the sheds Nos. 11 to 66 provision is made for a promenade, or ann-bathing area. From the new shower, next to room 66, commences a ■ colonnade which provides, on the roof, for a children’s sun-bathing area. The two walls of the area are of a suitable. height to prevent children falling over and yet not keeping away the sun’s rays. Very necessary provision is also made for an exclusive ■pool for the small children. “ We live in an island home, and the ability to swim ought to be the accomplishment of every boy and girl. I am quite cognizant of the city bathing facilities, but those are not comparable with what could be provided at St. Clair in the open air and in sea water. There will possibly be a great calamity on the open beach one of these days, similar to the recent sad occurrence ; at Bondi early this month, and it would be w«n to train opr youth to ayoid j snob a. happening by accruing their proficiency in swimming. “The purpose of my proposal is to ande&ycur to arouse interest in the necessity for something being done. (Without any mandate from the citizen* the City Council may continue to remain passively indifferent to the need of some development. I would judge 1 that the ratepayers would willingly vote the necessary authority to secure loan money for the purpose. The jo 1 * should he done with as little delay as possible.”