Harold Holt Memorial Swimming Centre facts for kids
| Harold Holt Pool Harold Holt |
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Main pool of the Harold Holt Swim Centre
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| Building information | ||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Harold Holt Memorial Swimming Centre | |||||||||||||||
| City | Glen Iris | |||||||||||||||
| Opened | 27 November 1927 and 16 March 1969 |
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| Construction cost | £10,476 (1927) $600,000 (1969) $13 million redevelopment (2010) |
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| Architect(s) | Kevin Borland & Daryl Jackson | |||||||||||||||
| Pools | ||||||||||||||||
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The Harold Holt Memorial Swimming Centre is a popular public swimming pool complex. It is located in Glen Iris, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia. The centre is famous for its special design style, known as Brutalist architecture. This style uses strong, simple shapes and often raw concrete.
The swimming centre is named after Harold Holt, who was the Prime Minister of Australia. He was also the local member of parliament for the area. The centre was being built when he went missing at sea in December 1967.
Contents
The First Pool: Malvern Baths
Back in 1924, the Malvern City Council decided to build the area's very first public swimming baths. The Education Department strongly supported this idea. They wanted to start a "learn to swim" program for children.
The chosen spot was an old waste site on the corner of High Street and Edgar Street. The Malvern Baths cost £10,476 to build. The city engineer, Barton Coutie, designed it. He got ideas from other swimming pools he had seen in places like Harrow, London. The baths officially opened in November 1927.
A Brand New Swimming Centre
By the early 1960s, the old Malvern Baths were considered "outdated." So, in 1966, the Malvern Council hired architects Kevin Borland and Daryl Jackson. Their job was to design a completely new swimming complex.
It was first going to be called the City of Malvern Olympic Swimming Centre. However, the name changed after Prime Minister Harold Holt went missing in December 1967. He was the local member for Malvern. The new centre was then named in his memory. Some people found this name choice a bit unusual because of how he disappeared.
The new Harold Holt Memorial Swimming Centre opened in March 1969. John Gorton, the new Prime Minister, officially opened it. The new complex cost $600,000 to build.
Over the years, the centre has been updated many times. In 1988, a hydrotherapy pool, spa, sauna, and a room for aerobics and yoga were added. More improvements were made in 1998 to the pools and water filters.
In 2010, the centre had a big $13 million upgrade. This added new health and fitness areas, as well as more aquatic spaces. Today, the Harold Holt Swim Centre is one of Melbourne's most popular swimming spots. It welcomes about 400,000 visitors every year.
Unique Building Design
The Harold Holt Memorial Swimming Centre is a great example of Brutalist architecture. This style often uses raw concrete and has a strong, solid look. The building is so important that it is protected by the National Trust and listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.
What is Brutalist Architecture?
Brutalist buildings often look very strong and powerful. They use simple, bold shapes and materials like concrete. The Harold Holt Swim Centre's design was very advanced for the 1960s. It combines different architectural ideas, making it look almost like a modern factory in a suburban area. Some people think the strong, powerful look of Brutalist buildings suits sports centres well.
Fun Facilities for Everyone
The Harold Holt Swimming Centre has many different pools and areas for various activities. It sits on a large piece of land, about 207 by 57 metres.
The complex has five pools in total. There is a large Outdoor 50-metre pool and an Indoor 25-metre pool. The indoor pool is surrounded by big glass walls. The outdoor pool was the first heated pool in Victoria, allowing people to swim all year round. It was also the first pool in Australia designed using metric measurements.
Other facilities include:
- A hydrotherapy pool, which is great for gentle exercise.
- A spa and sauna for relaxation.
- A multi-purpose room for fitness classes like aerobics and yoga.
- A leisure pool with fun water features.
- A learn-to-swim pool for lessons.
- An indoor toddlers' pool.
- Accessible change rooms.
- Child care facilities.
The main entrance is on Edgar Street, where you'll find the reception desk.
Awards for Design
The Harold Holt Memorial Swimming Centre has won awards for its design.
- It received a special mention from the RAIA Victorian Chapter in 1969. This was in the Public Buildings category.
See also
- List of sports venues named after individuals
