International Pool

fevlad · Post by **fevlad** » Sat 26 Apr, 2008 6:26 pm

Trojan wrote: I understand the point that buildings may last for 50/100 years but the equipment they house doesn't - however, to take one example, Morley Swimmng Baths on Fountain Street lasted for about 70 years before it closed in the seventies and was replaced by the current one - as far as I know most of the original equipment was still in use at the end of its life and it was only because this equipment was coming to the end of its life that the facility was closed. Contrast that with the International Pool or the more recent still Morley Sports Centre which is about to close for ever after just over 30 years existence. What is the explanation for the disparity between the life of Edwardian/Victorian equipment and that installed in the sixties and seventies - presumably cheaper spec. the thing about these places is that they are survivors, throughout history there has been poor architecture and shoddy building-just look at Chesterfield catherdral: many actually didn't stand the test of time(and yes there are many that should have but didn't)there are many modern building which will last for a century or more, many that wont the same as there has always been.Leeks street flats replaced even worse slums from the victorian age as did quarry hillLeeds City Station is now a far better functioning building than what was originally on the site.the 1930s council estates that surround Leeds and other cities are mostly very sound buildings: their reputation has been bestwoed up on them by the peopole who inhabit them. There should be no reasson why they shouldn't function well into the future-structurally anyway.Society changes and so do the buildings that house it and serve it.

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Sat 26 Apr, 2008 9:43 pm

The International Pool has closed, but the replacement Spiracle has now fallen victim to the credit crunch.So what happens now? Clearly the Pool is doomed and I can't see it being reprieved, but what will happen on this piece of "prime real estate"?

Phill_d · Post by **Phill_d** » Sat 26 Apr, 2008 9:49 pm

raveydavey wrote: The International Pool has closed, but the replacement Spiracle has now fallen victim to the credit crunch.So what happens now? Clearly the Pool is doomed and I can't see it being reprieved, but what will happen on this piece of "prime real estate"? Short term car park... for the foreseeable future no doubt! The pools supposed to be demo'd in September!

Post by **chameleon** » Sat 26 Apr, 2008 9:52 pm

'The pools supposed to be demo'd in September'Keeping an eye out for the first signs phill...

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Sat 26 Apr, 2008 10:10 pm

[Leeds City Station is now a far better functioning building than what was originally on the site.What exactly do you mean by Leeds City Station? The current one, which was revamped from its immediate predecessor, or the combination of Leeds City and Leeds New which predated what is currently on the site?

fevlad · Post by **fevlad** » Mon 28 Apr, 2008 10:42 am

Trojan wrote: [Leeds City Station is now a far better functioning building than what was originally on the site. What exactly do you mean by Leeds City Station? The current one, which was revamped from its immediate predecessor, or the combination of Leeds City and Leeds New which predated what is currently on the site? all of em apart from the booking hall, which is still functioning anyway. The version of the station which preceded this one was a particular abomination, especially if you were disabled.edit, I was out of order in my comments about council houses. Most people who live in them are ok people, their living environment has been ruined by the life styles of a minority. Although I still think the houses themselves are good quality buildings and far better than what they replaced.

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Mon 28 Apr, 2008 10:00 pm

Phill_d wrote: raveydavey wrote: The International Pool has closed, but the replacement Spiracle has now fallen victim to the credit crunch.So what happens now? Clearly the Pool is doomed and I can't see it being reprieved, but what will happen on this piece of "prime real estate"? Short term car park... for the foreseeable future no doubt! The pools supposed to be demo'd in September! Oh goody - does the impending financial crisis mean we will have loads of "bomb site" car parks like there used to be across the city centre in the 70's when I was growing up - all mud, puddles and a selection of differently sized bricks underfoot (like the one that used to be next to the Corn Exchange, or where the NCP near the Market now stands)?

fevlad · Post by **fevlad** » Tue 29 Apr, 2008 9:19 am

raveydavey wrote: Phill_d wrote: raveydavey wrote: The International Pool has closed, but the replacement Spiracle has now fallen victim to the credit crunch.So what happens now? Clearly the Pool is doomed and I can't see it being reprieved, but what will happen on this piece of "prime real estate"? Short term car park... for the foreseeable future no doubt! The pools supposed to be demo'd in September! Oh goody - does the impending financial crisis mean we will have loads of "bomb site" car parks like there used to be across the city centre in the 70's when I was growing up - all mud, puddles and a selection of differently sized bricks underfoot (like the one that used to be next to the Corn Exchange, or where the NCP near the Market now stands)? we parked in the 'lounge' of the market tavern yesterday

Phill_d · Post by **Phill_d** » Tue 29 Apr, 2008 9:27 am

I can remember the mad house and the row of shops down that side of the road, but for the life of me I can't think what was on the rest of the land behind. Come to think of it, apart from the mad house been a little 'lively' there was nothing really much of a terrible eyesore about the place. What was the thinking behind closing all those businesses and doing absolutely nothing with that land for donkeys years? I can only recall a chippy been on that row of shops. What else was there?

Chrism · Post by **Chrism** » Tue 29 Apr, 2008 3:49 pm

There's pics on you know where Phil, very old ones though.You need to look up Harewood Street, Union Street and George Street. It was all housing til the early 1900's, there was a Turkish bath and swimming pool, the old police station was facing the new one. Very different to today!