Swimming in Palmerston North

EARLY SWIMMING IN PALMERSTON NORTH

It appears that swimming has always been a part of summer in Palmerston North. The Manawatu River, flowing close to the city, provided the early settlers with an ideal place to cool off. Swimming holes that were long used, largely by the youth and men of the town, were provided with changing sheds and spring boards by the Council.

Anderson family and friends swimming in the Manawatu River c1915. (PNCL Photograph Collection: Z5420)

As swimming gained popularity a club was formed in 1904; originally called the Boys’ Swimming Club,  it soon changed to the Palmerston North Amateur Swimming Club. Ladies swam apart in a separate section of the Club. While popular, swimming was not necessarily seen as ‘seemly’. In 1886 a letter from the Mayor, Alex Ferguson, to the Constable in Charge of the Town District, stated that: "numbers of persons are in the habit of bathing in the river close to Fitzherbert Bridge and making it impossible for ladies to walk or drive in that direction in consequence of the indecent exposure exhibited there" and asked for action. Later, in 1913, there was a request for a notice to be erected at the changing sheds requiring swimmers to wear neck-to-knee costumes.		Monro children swimming at Turitea (PNCL Photograph collection Pi117)
Manawatu Evening Standard		Women’s Bathing In 1916, in the absence of a public pool, the women of the town approached the Council for facilities at the river. They were not permitted to swim at the bridge and the next two suitable bays were used by men. Presenting to the Council, Miss Pees cited the importance of exercise and the premise that "the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world. The nation that is going to be victorious will need to be a healthy nation. Swimming…made for cleanliness in mind and body." The women asked that the first bend in the river above the bridge be reserved for ladies and that notices to this effect be placed at the road and the bathing place, and that a dressing shed be built. They reportedly had 125 prospective members of the Ladies Swimming Club.

From the 1890s there was movement from Council to establish a public bath. The initial idea was to ask private individuals to establish the pool, perhaps on a site provided by the Council. Possible sites mentioned were Main Street and Coleman Place. What eventuated was the ‘Edwards’ Baths’.

Edwards’ Baths

The Edwards’ Baths were the first ‘public’ baths for the use of Palmerston North citizens. They were built by Robert Edwards (Architect, City Councillor and later Mayor of Palmerston North) on his own land in 1895. Although privately owned the baths were erected in agreement with the Council - that Edwards provide a public baths for 18 years on the understanding that the Council would supply water cheaply to the baths and would not do so to any competing baths in that time, and charge an agreed fee for entry.

The concrete baths, 25 yards long and 8 feet deep, were built on Duke Street (now Princess Street), with an entrance off Main Street, and were advertised as the ‘Borough Baths’. They were open from 5.30-6pm daily and cost 3d per swim. In 1912 Edwards asked that the Council lease or purchase his baths for use of the public, although nothing came of this move.The baths remained in use until the opening of the Municipal Baths in Ashley Street in 1917, and then fell into disrepair until incorporated into the Reliance Tyre and Rubber Company’s new premises in 1955.

Manawatu Daily Times 2 September 1955

There was more talk of baths in 1908 and it was seen to be a ‘duty of the Council’ to provide them. It was argued that while the present baths

"had served the town well in the early days, [they had] ceased to fulfil the necessary requirements of the public."

New baths were needed for people to learn to swim because drowning was so common that it had come to be known as the ‘New Zealand death’. It was also seen to be a ‘healthful form of exercise’, with the newspaper reporting that,

"It was a splendid thing to keep down adipose tissue. There was nothing calculated to do this so well, and the doctor quoted an instance of a very stout lady who had reduced her waist to 22 inches simply by swimming."

It was mentioned at this point that a Council site at the rear of the Opera House, on Ashley Street, was available and that funding could be provided through borrowing.

As the debate continued, in 1911 it was noted in the paper that when swimming clubs in Palmerston North were started they floundered because of the lack of a Municipal Pool, and

"That there are no municipal baths in the town is more or less of a disgrace to a community that prides itself on its progressiveness."

Finally a decision was made to go ahead, resulting in the Ashley Street Baths.

Ashley Street Baths

Put out to tender, the baths were erected by Trevor Bros for £4239 and opened by Sir Joseph Ward on 1 Dec 1917. It was reportedly a ‘glorious day’, although the water was a ‘peculiar colour’ as the pipes had not been used for a long time.

It was also noted by Sir Joseph Ward that

"the mothers of families particularly, having their own special knowledge of what is good for children, realise that no other exercise builds up the physique of young men and women than does the exercise of swimming. And I feel sure that any medical man will endorse my remarks. Not only is it splendid exercise but it is a splendid lung developer. Those body who are with us today are, after all, the fathers of the men who will be the future rulers of the destiny of the country, and what a fine thing it will be for them, especially in the political arena – to possess good lung power’."

Mr Beven was then invited to take the first dive, which he did fully dressed and ‘gave a very fine exhibition of swimming doing all manner of eccentric feats in the water’.

 
The Ashley Street Swimming baths in 1939. (PNCL Photograph Collection Bm3)

The baths were 100 feet by 33 feet and provided 50 changing sheds with seating above. While heating them was often talked about it never eventuated.

 
The Ashley Street Baths were demolished and filled in, in 1968. (PNCL Photograph Collection Bm20)

The baths served their purpose for almost 50 years until superseded by the Lido pool.

The Lido

		Designed by Walker & Love (architects), the Lido was built in 1966, and consisted of 4 open-air pools – one diving, two swimming pools and one smaller children’s pool. It was mainly funded by the sale of residential sections in Awatapu subdivision, augmented by a Lottery grant and public donations.   At a cost of two shillings  per adult and sixpence  per child,  the Lido opened as a ‘Recreation Centre’ from 6am -9pm, seven days a week. It included barbeques, for those who stayed all day, and pool toys and slides. Later, in 1983, the Lido indoor pool opened, at a cost of $1.2 million.

The Lido Complex 1971 (PNCL Photograph Collection Bm27)

Paddling Pools

Educational Facilites' Baths

School swimming baths made their mark as the first form of swimming instruction for the majority of New Zealand school children.

Central School Baths

The baths were built in Campbell Street in 1917 as a memorial to the fallen in World War I. 

(PNCL Photograph Collection Sc128)	Swimming Team, Winners of the First Central School Competition c1917. (PNCL Photograph Collection Sp19)

West End School Swimming Pool

 
1950 (PNCL Photograph Collection Sc77)

The baths were opened by Geoffrey Tremaine, Chairman of the West End School PTA, City Councillor and later Mayor of Palmerston North, c1930-1931. The school fundraised through Gala Days, a Fancy Dress Ball, concerts and ‘straight out cadging’ to provide the pool.

Hokowhitu School Swimming Baths

The baths were opened in February 1931. Funds were raised by the school through card evenings, Friday night dances and Gala Days. The grounds were originally set out with paths and gardens, using the No. 3 Employment Scheme (created during the 1930s Depression) to concrete around the edges of the pool and lay out the gardens.

Massey Agricultural College Baths

(PNCL Photograph Collection Ma20)

The Massey Agricultural College pool, funded free of cost to the College’s authorities by the Student Association, was built not only with student labour but that of the College staff and Principal. Opened in 1935, it was 100 feet long and required clearing of the bush and the construction of an access road as well. It was reported to be

"located amid picturesque surroundings in the tree-clustered valley below the eastern side of the main science block, and under the shadow of giant tree ferns."

[Information from the Ian Matheson City Archives and photographs from the PNCL Photograph Collection]