Happy 90th (virtual) birthday Kitchener swimming pool

All seemed settled as last week’s Flash from the Past closed. On Saturday, July 5, 1930, promoter Irvin Erb and Mayor William Clement had solved the impasse preventing swimming pool construction in Victoria Park.

Within days, that solution was scuttled. Kitchener Park Board and the city’s special Swimming Pool Committee (SPC) had abruptly fixated on Woodside Park on Queen Street South. At a July 21 city council meeting, alderman James Tait (also chair of the SPC) introduced a motion rescinding all previous council decisions concerning the swimming pool. It passed. A new motion authorized calling tenders for a pool at Woodside. The game-breaker was an offer by park board and SPC member A.R. Kaufman to fund all costs above the $25,000 authorized by voters in December 1929. His offer, plus more parking at Woodside and cheaper construction costs, convinced council.

The public, alas, was not convinced — a hornet’s nest of opposition appeared quickly and even some aldermen backtracked. For two months, at meetings and in outraged letters to the Kitchener Daily Record, Woodside’s negative attributes were aired: it was at the city’s southern limits, too distant for north and east ward residents; with no public crosstown buses people without cars were disadvantaged; the noise would disturb Queen Street residents; two sets of nearby railway tracks had to be crossed by pool users; and the site was beside a huge foundry, Canadian Blower and Forge.

Once again other locations around the city were proposed, even a new one at Victoria Park near Henry Street.

All objections were parried by the SPC. The site was moved closer to Queen Street to avoid the foundry smoke; no swimming after 10 p.m. so neighbours could sleep; and the Public Utilities Commission mused about crosstown bus service to the pool (that, however, didn’t occur until 1935). The city engineer derailed the new Victoria Park site, reporting the subsoil was quicksandlike while both a sewer trunk and high-voltage hydro line ran through the suggested location.

On Sept. 16, council approved Ball Brothers’ bid of $14,433 for the pool structure alone. After more controversy, the park board agreed to be responsible for running the facility even though no budget had been provided. Two months later, the swimming tank was complete: 515 cubic yards of concrete in the walls, floor and two islands. The pumphouse/heating plant and dressing rooms/entrance construction began in early 1931. The latter was to be in rag brick, 50 by 80 feet, with separate showers and dressing rooms for men and women. By May 18, all work was done, water filled the pool. And that night several neighbourhood boys jumped the fence, becoming the first (unauthorized) swimmers in the new pool!

More controversy arose over admission prices set by the park board — 15 cents for adults, 10 cents for youngsters. Louis Boyle was hired as pool manager at $150 a month and several lifeguards were engaged.

Saturday, May 30: 40 children launched themselves into the water. It was opening day! It was also cold, and remained chilly, limiting the first week’s attendance to 1,270. As the weather improved, Kitchenerites and visitors took over the long-fought-for $40,000 pool. It was especially welcome on July 2 when the fire hall thermometer reportedly hit 124F (51C), well above Kitchener’s official historical high.

Controversies continued: people still complained of the prices while the Twin City Ministerial Association declared “Sunday pool openings are not in accord with best Christian sentiment of this community.”

During its first winter, an unforeseen use for the dressing rooms popped up. The Great Depression forced numerous young men to hit the roads and rails. Those ending up in Kitchener were given one night’s lodging at the new swimming pool’s bathhouse. Between January and mid-May, it housed 650 transients.

Woodside, soon named Kitchener Municipal Swimming Pool, then renamed Harry Class Pool in 1992, would have celebrated 90 years in May of 2020. That’s been put off until 2021. Thanks to A.R. Kaufman, those nine decades did not take place in Victoria Park! rych mills is a lifelong resident of Kitchener-Waterloo whose interest in the Twin Cities’ past has appeared in two local history books and numerous articles for the Waterloo Historical Society annual volume for which he is currently editor. rychmills@golden.net

PRIVATE COLLECTION Three decades after opening, Kitchener’s swimming pool was proudly featured in a 1954 Centennial publication. Looking toward the pumphouse, hundreds of youngsters cram the islands and fill the water.

VICTORIA PARK GALLERY Each spring, the swimming “tank” receives a thorough clean-up. Two workers in the late 1950s apply new paint in this photograph taken by parks administrator Ellroy Lippert. The deep end is done and the shallow end and island are next. Homes peeking over the steel fence are on Queen South near Highland.

RYCH MILLS COLLECTION A mid-1930s postcard scene of the swimming pool’s entrance and dressing room building looks much the same in 2020.