Plant Bath facts for kids
The Plant Bath is a historic building in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It was built in 1924. Its purpose was to help improve the health and cleanliness of people living in the city. It was named after Frank H. Plant, who was the mayor of Ottawa at the time.
The Plant Bath is located at 930 Somerset Street West. This is at the corner of Preston Street. It is in the heart of Ottawa's Italian-Canadian community. It is also close to the city's Chinese-Canadian areas.
The Plant Bath's Story
Why Was It Built?
The Plant Bath was built in 1924. Another similar building, the Champagne Bath, was also built around the same time. These baths were created to help people who might not have had good washing facilities at home. The goal was to improve their hygiene and overall well-being.
A Historic Building
In 1994, the Plant Bath was recognized as a special heritage property. This means it is an important building with historical value. However, just three years later, the building had to close. It was closed because it was no longer safe. The brick pillars that held up the roof were wearing away. There was a risk that the building could fall apart.
A New Beginning
Fixing the old building was going to cost millions of dollars. So, the baths stayed closed for several years. After the year 2000, a big project began. The plan was to fix up the old bathhouse. They also wanted to build a brand new recreation centre right next to it.
This whole project cost eight million dollars. The old swimming pool was removed from the historic building. Now, that space holds community meeting rooms. Two new swimming pools were added to the new centre. There is also a hot tub, a steam bath, and gyms. Many other community spaces were built too. The new Plant Recreation Centre officially opened in June 2004.
