SWIMMING BATH PROPOSAL TO BE PUSHED AHEAD

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 15, Issue 3, 27 February 1950, Page 5

SWIMMING BATH PROPOSAL TO BE PUSHED AHEAD

A general meeting of, the Whakatane Chamber of Commerce adopted the report of a sub-commit-tee which has been investigating the possibility of the provision of a public swimming bath for Whakatane, and which now recommends that such a bath should be provided as soon as possible. The Chamber decided to call a public meeting, at which the Mayor will be asked to preside, to get the project under way. The suggestion is for the provision of a £5,000 pool and facilities.

The sub-committee found:— That/a swimming bath for this town should be provided as soon as possible.

That when the bath is erected it should be large enough to hold swimming carnivals, even if it were not completed in the early stages. That the type of bath required would cost about £SOOO. The cost of the pool would be £3OOO and fences, dressing sheds etc., £2OOO. That t<he Borough Council is not at present in a position to finance such a project, therefore at least part of the money required must be- raised by some public effort. The bulk of the work and the enthusiasm required to raise a large sum of money must be provided by the people who will ,eventually benefit by the provision of the bath. The part to be played by the Chamber of Commerce should be to call a public meeting of all people and bodies interested to form a committee of ways and means, and to assist this committee in every possible way. That the possibility be explored of making the bath an integral part of the Community Centre npw being discussed and so if possible obtain the Government subsidy for the project. That some easy method, say a street day, or a subscription list be advocated to get some funds to form the nucleus of a trust fund to erect the baths.