Tepid Baths facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tepid Baths |
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Tepid Baths
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| General information | |
| Address | 86-102 Customs St West |
| Town or city | Auckland |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 36°50′38″S 174°45′47″E / 36.843978°S 174.763182°E |
| Opened | 1914 |
| Renovated | 1986, 1997, 2010-2012 |
| Owner | Auckland Council |
| Designated: | 4 April 1997 |
| Reference #: | 7377 |
The Tepid Baths is a cool indoor swimming pool complex in Auckland, New Zealand. It first opened in 1914. The baths were built where a small drydock used to be. They became very popular! Over 30,000 people visited in just the first two months.
In 2010, the baths closed for a big makeover. They reopened in mid-2012 after two years of work.
The main pool is 1.1 meters deep at its shallowest part. It goes down to 2.1 meters at the deepest end.
In 1997, the building was recognized as an important historic place. It received a Category II listing from Heritage New Zealand.
Contents
The History of Tepid Baths
The Tepid Baths were first rented from the Auckland Harbour Board. They had two separate pools. One was for males (25 meters long, 6 lanes) and the other for females (18 meters long, 4 lanes). The male pool was the biggest in New Zealand back then!
How the Pools Were Heated
The pools were heated using hot water from a nearby power plant. This power plant was for trams. This heating system was very clever for its time. It was seen as an amazing engineering achievement.
Fun and Famous Swimmers
The pools were used for swimming races, fun swims, and even special community events. Two famous local athletes worked there. One was Malcolm Champion, a swimmer who often swam across the harbour. The other was Billy Savidan, a runner.
Changes Over the Years
In 1974, the pools changed from salt water to fresh water. This was mainly to make them easier to look after. The building was updated in 1986. It was updated again in 1997 when the YMCA took over managing it. These updates added new sauna and steam rooms. A gym was also built on the upper level for YMCA club members. Today, many people who work in Auckland CBD swim here before or after work.
Big Renovation Project
In November 2009, it was announced that the Tepid Baths would close. They needed a big $12 million restoration project. This was to fix problems caused by the salt water over many years. People hoped the pools would reopen for their 100th birthday in 2014. The baths closed in April 2010. The Y-Fitness Centre moved to a new place.
The restoration costs later went up to about $16 million. But the pools reopened sooner than expected, in mid-2012.
Award-Winning Restoration
In late 2012, the newly restored building won an award. It received the New Zealand Project Management Institute's Public Sector Project of the Year award. This showed how well the restoration project was managed.
