A plaque commemorating the opening of the Crookwell swimming pool was unveiled by Upper Lachlan Shire councillors John Searl and Pam Kensit on December 19, 69 years to the day after the pool was opened.
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The Upper Lachlan Shire Council installed the information board at the front of the pool building to commemorate its opening in 1949 at the request of local Dianne Layden.
Prior to the installation of the sign and the beginning of the 2018 swimming season works and repairs were completed at the pool, which included the retiling of the toddler pool, the painting of the facade, and the installation of hot water timers in the showers.
The Crookwell swimming pool had been completed by July 1949 and during the first fortnight, 2371 adults and 1967 children would pass through the turnstiles.
Prior to the pool residents swam at the weir at the bottom of Marsden Street, however, this fell into disuse in the 1930s because of murky water and leech infestations.
In 1943, the engineer at the council reported that establishing a pool was out of the question as the cost could not be supported by visitors.
It would take three years before the council borrowed the Australian pound 7000 to build the swimming pool in East Park.
The toddler pool was officially opened on December 11, 1960, and was built with money raised from residents and free labor from Crookwell Apexians and other volunteers.
Official guests at the plaque installation included the descendants of the 1949 Crookwell Shire councillors: John and Richard Walton the sons of president, Clr J Walton, Warwick Hanley the son of Clr J Hanley, Mary Willis the niece of Clr A Seaman, Mrs Dell Davies (nee Hegarty) the first secretary of Crookwell Swimming Club, Greg Seaman a member of the Crookwell Apex Club, Beryl Croker, and Dianne Layden.
