13.

Underscore prominently the importance of proper design and plans for

pools. Money spent on good designing and engineering is the best investment
in any pool, and this statement is not limited to swimming pools. It can be
applied to any structure worth while.

The matter of financing can not be ignored or forgotten entirely until
plans and specifications are available; but the final detail of financing con-
struction and operation can not be set up until the design is completed. The
design must be made to fit the available budget, end it must also fit the size
and tvpe of the community, but the financial budget must be made to provide
certain definite features in design and equipment which are absolutely essential
to safety and health. If these essential features can not '.. provided it is
better not to have a swimming pool, -s results would be harmful rather than
beneficial, A competent swimming pool authority or engineer knows what features
can be skimped safely and which ones are essential.

No plan of construction should be decided before first submitting it to,
conferring vith, and securing the approval of the State Department of Public
Health, which ranks as the outstanding euthority on swimming pools in the entire
United States. Our State Health Department has rendered invaluable service to
many cities in Illinois, not only in siding end guiding them in selecting
proper pool designs, but in assisting them in community meetings on swimming
pool promotion.

There are various vays of financing community swimming pools. Pools
have been financed successfully through municinal vnark board which have taxing
pover, sometimes through other municipal devartments, through civic clubs
and organizations, through public subscriptions, through municipal bond issues,
by using ¥.P.A. and/or °.".A, assistance, end other vays.

In the City of Cairo, Illinois, a pool was constructed a» number of
years ago, sponsored and financed by the Rotary Club, ~hich club vas supported
in the project by a number of business firms ~ho were led to realize the value
of the pool to their employees and their employees' children, This old pool
became obsolete and was scrapned in 1936, when a new modern pool vas con-
structed as a municipal pool in the name of the city, vith title in the city.
However, the Rotary Club provided all funds necessary from its own treasury
end by selling advence season pool tickets to the public to match V.P.A. funds
and labor for the construction, Althouzh this is a municipal pool, owned by
the city, not one cent of the funds for construction or operation has come out
of the city treasury. The total cost of this pool, including ¥.P.A. assistance,
“as about $60,000.

An operating corporation, organized by the Rotary Club, handics all
the detail of operating and financing the pool for the city. On this basis
the local pool investment is on a self liquidating schedule, operating revenues
paying all exyoenses and retiring the investment of the community.

The Cairo pool is free from children of school age during the entire
morning of each day until eleven o'clock. During the afternoon and evening of
each day edults pay 254 and children pay 104 admission. Spectators, for vhom
spacious attractive quarters are provided ~ith a esuard fence between them and
the bathing areas, pay 104 admission. The pool is very popular and vetronage
is excellent.

Cairo points with pride to the fact that since the original community
pool was provided not a single child has lost its life from svimming in the
nearby rivers, Prior to the construction of a swimming pool every year took
its toll of life of children of school age, dro-ned while swimming in the rivers,