The Old Outdoor Swimming Pool

A Memory of Luton.

During the summer holidays we would visit the outdoor swimming pool in Bath Road. The first indication when near to the entrance was the strong smell of chlorine and the sound of the two water fountains.
No matter what time of year or the weather of the day the cubicle area was always cold and wet. We would undress behind a half door in the cubicle and take our clothes and deposit them in a green painted tall steel locker, I do not recall there being a door lock of any description. We then had to walk through a very cold foot bath before entering the large paved area surrounding the swimming pool itself.
The pool was divided into three sections, two graded shallow areas either side of the deep central pool that had a three tier diving board and single spring board. There were no poolside attendants to oversee the pool activities and even children had access to the high board and would "bomb" into the water splashing everyone in the immediate vicinity. There was a large sunbathing terrace with an area equipped for exercising comprising of gymnastic rings and a horizontal bar. The paved areas would get very hot in the sunshine and we would run for the cool waters of the pool when we could stand no more. Some days were reserved for schools and best avoided. There was no cafeteria as such but snack bar where we could buy a piece of fruit cake but not much more as this was still the post war era and no sweets or chocolate could be purchased.
When first visiting the pool I was still unable to swim but could do an impressive fake swim bouncing off the pool floor on tip toes but then after learning to glide face down toward the hand hold at the pool edge I soon picked it up and enjoyed being in the deep central section. The best part of the expedition was dressing and feeling the warmth of our clothes again.
John Russell
29th June 2016