MUNICIPAL SWIMMING BATHS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13857, 21 March 1907, Page 3

MUNICIPAL SWIMMING BATHS.

Sin,—Dr Colquhoun's letter in Monday's Times will have given many of tho citizens interested in the proposed establishment of lepid water swimming batha considerable food for thought. The points he raises, particularly that of tho site, require deep consideration before any scheme is finally settled upon. Now, the members of Iho Oiago Centre N.Z.A.3.A. have based all their calculations on the Moray place reserve, and the plans prepared by Messrs Walden and Barton are designed to get as much as possible out of that section. In approaching the council for baths tho centre had to fake into consideration the adaptability of the site in Moray place, and the report of Mr R. S. Allan, ch'il engineer, was to the cifect that tho site was largo enough and tho section suited very well, while the drainage conditions were convenient, and the ground would carry baths with slight alteration owing to its hollow shape. Tho architects also found that it presented no difficulties, and stated that it was a very convenient section.

Our plans show a swimming pool, 75ft by 37if(, holding 96,000 gallons of wator, suitable dressing rooms, privato ■ baths, boiler' room, caretaker's rooms, two shops, office, anil clubroom. The entrance to the swimming pool is opposite to the caretaker's office, and all .persons- will have to pass through the lavatories, where showers, wash-basins, or foot-baths are to be used beforo the caretaker allows anyone to enter the pool. Seating accommodation for fully 1000 people is provided for carnivals. There is also room on the section for a small pool for ladies. Perhaps when the council takes this question up if will see that it would bo better to do away with the revenuc-nroducing shops and cater for the needs of the ladies by building them a separate pool, The centre had shops shown on the plans because it was felt to be necessary .to show tho council that a gocd profit could he made out of the project before it would consider it Thin also helped to keep down the water-holding capacity of the pool, as just at that time the shortage of water was being felt. Now, we arc informed that the water running to waste would fill the bath twice a day. ■If at any time'it is decidod to supply tho hath with salt water, the Moray place site is handy to the power-house, and the plant there being idle might ho well employed pumping water from tho sea, whieh, wo understand, call bo effected with slight additions to the present machinery. There is 110 doubt about this: that the baths wo arc agitating for will provo too small for the requirements of the public, and then other baths will spring up' in different places, as, for instance, the Oval, as suggested by Dr Colquhoun—an excellent. position. This would be much inoro satisfactory than building one birr bath. When the race oi swimmers Dr Colquhotm predicted grow up they will see tJiat more baths are provided for their use.

At tho public meeting Mr A. K. Barclay, M.11.R., mentioned that in Cbristohurch I hey were going to utilise the waste hot water from the destructor for their lmlhe, ami suggested that the Duncdin City Council should follow this plan. It must bo apparent to all that the propped destructor site and the proposed bath site should lie considered as one scheme. Whero tho destructor is to be there the baths should bo, so as to reap the advantage of cheap warm water. Olio disadvantage of the Oval, and other ■ low-lying places is providing means for emptying the bath, as ihc bottom would (unless specially provided for) bo loner than the sewer. Dr Colqtihoun favours an open bath as being less costly to build and more hygienic. While the centre favours a roofed-in bath, it has made sure of good ventilation, and wc consider our system the better, as .it keeps out tho dust which pollutes tho water.' A canvas screen ereatcs draughts, and would only bo effective in calm weather; and the rain imust be kept out, ( as bath-keepers declare it discolours tho wator. And when holding night carnivals, to have to sit about in a-draughty building would not encourage spectators to patronise swimming sports. Another point that will require to bo gone into is tho question of the temperature of the wator. Should it ho water with just the chill off or warm water'!

If the Moray place reserve is not tho selected site for the proposed baths when this matter is dealt with, J think that tho doctor's suggestion of crediting the baths account with tho revenue from that reserve should ho put. into practice, anil not allowed to be treated as tho ordinary receipts of tho council as now happens-, and the same remark applies to the Leith reserves revenue.—l am, etc., J. C. K. SIBBAID, Hon. Sec. Otago Centre N.Z.A.S.A.