SWIMMING BATHS

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4815, 26 July 1939, Page 5

SWIMMING BATHS

BIGGEST JOB FINISHED.

LAYING OF FLOOR.

START MADE ON WALLS. Considering the very unfavourable weather that has prevailed, good progress had been made in the construction of the municipal swimming baths in Hinerangi Street, near the State houses. With the completion of the biggest job, the laying of the floor of the baths, on Friday last, it is anticipated that weather conditions will not impede the construction work to the same extent.

Attention is at present being concentrated wholly upon the construction of the main pool, the providing of the children's paddling pool and the sheds shown in the plans beingheld over until the main construction job is nearer completion. The bath is of standard size, 100 ft by 36 ft, and the walls are 7ft high at the deep end and 4ft at the shallow end. Below where the divingboards will be is a diving basin, extending the width of the baths, which is 10ft in depth. This joins the gradual shelve of the baths from the shallow end at a depth of 6ft. A 6ft concrete pathway is to surround the baths.

Up to the present attention has been mainly concentrated on the construction of the floor of the baths. First a thick layer of shingle was placed over the pumice earth in which the baths are built, and then this was tar-sealed. Then followed the difficult task of laying on this the solid 12-inch concrete floor of the baths. Heavy rain and frost made this task a most difficult one, but it was accomplished last Friday. The remainder of the work will be less hampered by the weather. The backing of the walls and the reinforcing is already in position, and a start is being made in the concreting of these at the deep end of the baths, At this point they are 10 inches in thickness, and range back to 8 inches at the shallow end, the whole being soli,dly buttressed, Concrete steps are to be let into the walls, to permit of easy access to and from the baths, though not in any way preventing use being made of the full length and breadth of them for swimming.