International Pool

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Sat 08 Mar, 2008 6:26 pm

And here'sthe proof that Poulson "built" it.

kierentc · Post by **kierentc** » Sat 08 Mar, 2008 6:28 pm

Trojan wrote: I know all this because my mum cleaned it from it opening in 1975 until she retired in 1975. did she not like her job much then?

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Sat 08 Mar, 2008 6:30 pm

kierentc wrote: Trojan wrote: I know all this because my mum cleaned it from it opening in 1975 until she retired in 1975. did she not like her job much then? Whoops type corrected

Post by **chameleon** » Sat 08 Mar, 2008 7:10 pm

Trojan wrote: And here'sthe proof that Poulson "built" it. One of the buildings my employer occupies and for which I had some responsibility for a few years ago was another Centica property built for them by Poulson in his 'home' town. From the state of the exposed and failing steel once clad in the now spaling concrete and which form the main structural elements of the building, I suspect that this one has little time left in this life!

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Sat 08 Mar, 2008 10:49 pm

chameleon wrote: Trojan wrote: And here'sthe proof that Poulson "built" it. One of the buildings my employer occupies and for which I had some responsibility for a few years ago was another Centica property built for them by Poulson in his 'home' town. From the state of the exposed and failing steel once clad in the now spaling concrete and which form the main structural elements of the building, I suspect that this one has little time left in this life! The building I pictured is built on a frame of RSJ's if I'm not mistaken, the York stone is cladding I suppose - I'm no expert but it certainly looks sound.

spongebob · Post by **spongebob** » Sun 09 Mar, 2008 1:44 am

Chrism wrote: There was a building (a block of flats actually) on Clarendon Road, just next to Ripon House. It was built in 1980 and demolished in 2005. There was absolutely nothing wrong with it, it had been left empty and 'smacheads' and 'homeless' peeps had taken refuge in it. When they left the developers tore it down and built another block in its place. I think this must be the shortest lived building in Leeds. 25 years not long!!!! Could be scope for a new topic perhaps? The office blocks they threw up on the ring road/Gelderd road junction opposite route2 and the wheatsheaf must be less than 20 years old and of course a couple have made way for the new Porsche garage. Wonderful site, flooded badly in the summer and ended up with a load of temporary defences thrown round it. The Aireside centre isn't exactly a great loss as only MFI seemed to be using it in recent years although it offers cheap short stay parking if you sneak out the far end of the car park.

simong · Post by **simong** » Sun 09 Mar, 2008 11:35 am

Chrism wrote: The Aireside centre isn't exactly a great loss as only MFI seemed to be using it in recent years although it offers cheap short stay parking if you sneak out the far end of the car park. Sound Control and the Bed Centre were there until about six months ago - Sound Control have moved to next door to Staples on Kirkstall Road. It's probably not been refilled in the last few years as development of that area has looked inevitable since Whitehall 1 and 2 went up and it's hard to move short term leases in that kind of market. The offices and shops around Gelderd Road/the Ring Road are in a variable state to sure - I went in the Topps Tiles store just as it was closing down before Christmas and it leaked like a sieve. which I think is testament to the build quality. No doubt it will be gone shortly and some new DIY shed will rise there, that or Ken has it in mind for Leeds United World(TM).My old school, Ridgewood in Doncaster, had the name of T. Dan Smith on its commemoration plaque. He and Poulson must have carved the West Riding up in the 60s and 70s in more ways than one.

fevlad · Post by **fevlad** » Sun 09 Mar, 2008 12:28 pm

a misconception about poulson was that he was an architecthe had no architectural qualifications and never designed or was involved in the design of a building in his life.Poulson was a wheeler and dealer.He wasn't just involved in corruption with T Dan Smith but government ministers like Reginalfd maudling as well.it might have already been mentioned on here but wasn't the pool built 1 ft short and therefore couldn't be used in internationally recognised competitions?

Post by **chameleon** » Sun 09 Mar, 2008 12:35 pm

n 'experimental build' as I recall - lessons learned I presume.To coincide with the need to remove and replace them, comes asuggestion that the need for the North Street Loop providing access to the Inner Ring Road there is unnecessary. Have to wonder what the motivation for this suggestion is; a lot of land is involved and would become 'available' if redevelopment (more flats?) went ahead.The alternative route is suggested to be down to the RingRoad accesses via New York Road - Already congested and we already know the Harewood Quarter will have a reducing effect upon this route.Those proposing the move clearly don't have to suffer this (for some, the only) route! HEY! What happened to the quote from Hatsoff I started thid with??? - Refers to the North Street Rotunda flats!

Post by **tyke bhoy** » Sun 09 Mar, 2008 5:34 pm

fevlad wrote: it might have already been mentioned on here but wasn't the pool built 1 ft short and therefore couldn't be used in internationally recognised competitions? From memory, and as I have stated on here before, I believe it was much less than a foot. The pool was regulation size until they tiled it. So a quarter of an inch, or so, at each end made it about a half inch too short. that's my memory of it anyway