The Swimming Pool Alterations
The self-built swimming pool which was the result of the efforts of pupils and staff of the early 1960s, together with the diving board added in the 1970s, stood the test of time. However, changes in the school year meant that it was used for fewer and fewer weeks, as it has only been towards the end of the summer term that it has been sufficiently warm. (People are not so ready these days to swim in cold water, perhaps.)
Because of this it was decided to create a much smaller indoor pool which can be heated all the year round. Unfortunately reducing the depth meant that the diving board had to go. (In any case it seems that modern safety advice is not to have diving and swimming in the same pool.) The photographs on this page show the stages in the work of creating the new covered pool.
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The first thing was to demolish the changing rooms and the diving board.
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The old swimming pool tank was found to be still strong, so could be used as a foundation for the smaller tank. First supporting walls were built.
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Then the spaces between were filled with rubble.
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Finer material was laid on top, to be followed by a mesh of metal re-inforcing rods, around which a layer of concrete would be poured.
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Waiting for the next load of concrete to arrive.
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The swimming pool builders of the 1960s, who sweated with wheelbarrow loads of concrete, would have been delighted by this pipe system. |
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... and this is what delivered the concrete..... |
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... pumped straight from the delivery vehicle. |
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The pool is now completed.
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... and looks like this on the inside. |
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It is now in regular use for swimming.
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