User:PetersfieldPaul/sandbox

Petersfield Open Air Swimming Pool is a small Lido run as a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO Registered number 1195755) and held in trust for the people of Petersfield. It is open from Spring until Autumn. It is heated for much of this time at 27 degrees until September when the heating is switched off and a period of cold water swims extends the swimming season for a few more weeks into October.

History

Moves to provide a pool began in the mid-1950s when representatives of the town’s organisations, including the Chamber of commerce, Round Table and the Rotary Club, got together, with the backing of Petersfield Urban District Council, and set about providing a swimming pool for the youth of Petersfield; on land owned by the council just north of the Festival Town Hall, to offer a clean and safe alternative to the Heath pond, where some youngsters used to swim in fine weather.

'''Funding '''

The three organisations made a public appeal for £9,000 and the Ministry of Education promised a grant of £3,000. Finally in May 1962 after much fundraising, the pool was opened by Sir David Eccles, Minister for Education at a cost of £13,000.

In 1969 'Operation Splash' was launched in to make a further appeal for funds to install heating and the necessary £1,500 was raised within only 14 months.

In 2007, a further major fundraising effort was needed by the community to provide £75,000 for retiling the pool and the pool has recently been upgraded further to include underwater lighting for evening swims.

Change of Ownership

The future of the open air pool was thrown into doubt in 1976 when an ambitious plan for an East Hampshire District Council civic centre on the town hall site, including the pool area, was mooted but this was rejected as too expensive and the council moved to the former Lifeguard Assurance offices at Penns Place, leaving the pool to prosper.

The pool is now run by a Charitable trust and volunteers which came about in 1992 after the facility was transferred from the ownership of East Hampshire District Council to Petersfield Town Council.

This coincided with the opening of the district council’s Taro Leisure Centre with an indoor pool at Penns Field east of the town. The pool trust prides itself on achieving high standards of water quality.

The pool still has its diving board and old-fashioned turnstiles as well as the brightly coloured changing room doors and green hedges surround the pool giving a secluded, tranquil setting in the heart of the town that is popular for Yoga and private events.