Mayor Janie Annear Elected to Close the Century Pool

On the 3 December 1900 the Governor General of New Zealand Lord Ranfurly officially opened Timaru’s first public swimming baths as a memorial to the turn of the Century. They were built on the old Goal reserve on West Belt. The area has since changed its name to Anzac Square and the road is now known as Craigie Avenue situated on state highway one.

First Heated Swimming Pool
67 years later the original wooden baths were reconstructed and on the 9th December 1967 the then Mayor of Timaru D. R. Dowell opened Timaru’s first heated swimming pool. In the last 10 years a kids hydro slide has been built and Century Memorial Pool is now the most popular recreational asset at the southern end of the City.

Demolition Has Begun
Timaru Mayor Janie Annear has plans to construct a much larger and more expensive swimming complex on the north east of Timaru. Mrs Annear likes to attend the gym and her husband Paul Annear is a phsiotherapist so a gymnasm and a wellness centre is now in the plans of a $23.5 million complex. To ensure the Mayors plans go ahead the children’s diving wells and changing sheds on Maori Park were demolished just before the elections. Once the new complex is up and running the Mayor will officially close the towns oldest and most loved swimming pool the Century Memorial Pool. Once this happens all the school children will have to be transported along state highway one to the only swimming pool on Maori Park and pay a price which some will not be able to afford. Ratepayers who are non swimmers or gym attendants will be forced to pay

Save the Century Memorial Pool
I have launched an appeal from the public to raise money that will be used to promote the Century Memorial Pool so that it can become a more profitable operation. I am still researching the history of swimming in Timaru and I hope to publish my findings in the Timaru Directory News which is due out before Christmas. If you would like a copy of the Timaru Directory News and would like to save the  Century Pool in Timaru New Zealand then reply on this article.