Salient: Victoria University of Wellington Students' Newspaper. Vol. 32, No. 1. 1969.
We need one like this
We need one like this
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There are almost 6,000 people at Vic who could use a swimming pool. Yet no plans exist to build one.
An idealised perspective sketch of the present and future of Vic turned out some years ago proposed a pool by Rankine Brown.
So far if is all that has been proposed.
In the past two years there have been three references in Salient pointing out the need for bathing facilities on the campus.
A sub-committee of the Vic swimming club has long been studying this need. This, broadly, is what it has to say:
It would not be the standard school or park type pool. The main population climax occurs mid-year during the winter months: the pool needs to be covered, an indoor pool, and heated like the Freyberg.
The size of the pool would be determined by the numbers using it at peak times. This can be worked out from standard formulae such as 10 square feet per bather or thirty square feet per swimmer and it can be easily estimated how many will be users at peak limes. Usually there arc about 3,000 people on the campus at any one lime,
It would seem that the common 110 ft. x 56 ft. pool (the size of most comunity pools as Thorndon) might be ideal and cheaper than say the Olympic-sized pool such as Naenae
The shape and depth of a pool would be determined by the different types of activities: recreational swimming, learn to swim, competitive swimming life-saxing training, water polo underwater swimming training, synchronised swimming (water ballet), diving and, often neglected but an important consideration, swimming for physiotherapy.
All these branches of aquatic activity can be accommodated in a flat bottom pool of modest dimensions with the exception of diving and polo.
For all but these last two a shallow pool would be wise in safety and prudent in construction cost.
The standard design pool could be deepened for water polo but there is the fear that diving might place an interable expense in depth requirements which might double the construction and maintenance cost.
The swimming club possesses figures and dimensions and has knowledge of pool technicalities.
Let it suffice then, that we know of the requirements for lane widths, lifesaving depths, diving board draught require ments and the advantages of various lengths and widths and we know the problems of gallonage and filtration plants and water healing.
We have listed the main bathing/swimming usages but there are other aspects.
We are not too parochial with proper respect to out own timetabling and requirements, for others to share in side pool facilities.
Pools need supervision and we have a physical welfare team on the campus for the job. A professional coach is a possibility, based upon university requirements and terms, and could be a source of revenue from the professional's franchise if desired.
A shallow pool, enclosed with a simple ridge roof and with filtration and heating, covered sealing, lighting and a club room like the famous efficient little Wharenui indoor pool in Christchurch (above) would cost $50-55,000.
Such costs are staggering but as with the other facilities, the gym and the union building, there are subsidies that would be available.