Leeds Then and Today: Leeds International Pool

Do you remember swimming here? Andy Hutchinson dives into the history of the former Leeds International Swimming Pool.

Transcript

00:00Hi and welcome to the latest edition of Leeds Then and Today with me Andrew Hutchinson.

00:05We're aiming to make a splash with the story of a controversial Leeds landmark which is

00:09no longer here.

00:12Leeds International Pool was loved and loved in equal measure by generations of Leeds residents

00:20during its 40 year stint in the city.

00:22The idea of an Olympic sized swimming pool for Leeds was first muted in the 1930s but

00:28that idea was canned owing to the outbreak of war.

00:32The idea was back on the agenda by the 1960s despite some people wanting smaller pools

00:38built around Leeds.

00:40Leeds International Pool opened in September 1967 yet the signs were ominous from the start

00:46when gale force winds almost ripped off the futuristic copper roof.

00:50Worse still, the pool wasn't even fit for the Olympics.

00:53Legend has it that it was a couple of inches too short.

00:57In fact, it was slightly too narrow for eight lane Olympic standards.

01:01The public was quick to criticise the pool's location.

01:05One user at the time said the building is badly sited, difficult to approach by car

01:11and dangerous for kiddies attending during rush hours.

01:14Its innovative design was by John Poulsen.

01:17Council chiefs claim more than £278,000 back from the bankrupt architect for design

01:23flaws in the pool.

01:25The pool closed in 2007 and was demolished in 2009.

01:29For many many years it was used as a car park but today it's getting a new lease of life.

01:35Work is well underway on a multi-million pound development which will see thousands of people

01:39live and work here.

01:41The architecture is considerably different to its brutalist predecessor.

01:45The story of Leeds International Pool is a controversial one so thanks for taking the

01:50plunge.

01:51The site looks very different today but there's still a sign that Leeds International Pool

01:56was here.