Jesus Green Swimming Pool is a lido situated on Jesus Green in Cambridge, England. Opened in 1923, it is one of the few remaining examples of the lidos built across the country in the 1920s -- open air pools with space for activities other than swimming. Unusually, the pool is significantly longer than it is wide -- this was a design idea to mimic swimming in the nearby river. It opens for public bathing between May and September every year.
Jesus Green, though only 15 yards (14 m) wide, is among the longest outdoor swimming pools in Europe at 100 yards (91 m) in length (the largest freshwater lido is Tooting Bec Lido in London, which is the same length, but 33 yards (30 m) wide).
It has a depth of 1.2 metres (3.9 ft) at each end, and a maximum depth of 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) in the centre. Diving is allowed into the centre section of the pool. The pool has a dedicated swimming lane for 'fast' swimmers the remaining two-thirds is for recreational swimming.
Located alongside the River Cam opposite Chesterton Road between Jesus Lock and Victoria Avenue Bridge, the pool has sunbathing space and is paved on one side with grass on the other.
Despite past attempts to shut it down, it has remained open and remains as one of the defining features of Cambridge in the summer time. In 1997, the pool facilities were upgraded, with new shower and toilet facilities added, although the new design was complained about, due to problems with the architecture and plumbing. Despite the upgrades, the pool still retains most of its original features and remains of interest from a historical point of view.
There are separate male and female changing facilities, and domed structures containing showers at either end. The original basket room is still used for visitors who need to store their valuables in a safe location. A customer picks up a basket on entry to the pool area, once filled it is handed into the basket room and exchanged for a numbered elastic band.
There is a much smaller outdoor pool upstream of the city centre at Sheep's Green, and swimming in the Cam remains popular near Grantchester.
Video Jesus Green Swimming Pool
In Media
A short film titled "Jesus Green Pool" was produced in 2004 by amateur director Chris Cox. The film emphasizes the seasonal nature of the pool by documenting a single summer at the pool; from opening in the Spring, to closing in the Autumn. It was shown at the Cambridge Film Festival in the summer of 2005. and the full version of the film is available to view freely online.
Maps Jesus Green Swimming Pool
References
External links
- Facebook page.
- Twitter Stream -- a Twitter channel to provide live updates of water temperature and weather closures.
- Pool information from Cambridge City Council.
- Lidos in the UK
- Feature about a film from BBC Cambridgeshire.
- Friends of Jesus Green Pool
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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