12,
"THE PROMOTION OF A SWIMMING POOL"

By
C. M, Roos

Manager, Peoria Water Company

The subject assigned, "The Promotion of a Swimming Pool", includes one
~ord, "promotion", which should be clarified or defined a bit before vroceeding
“ith this discussion, as the “ord can convey various meanings, some according to
Yebster and some applied or immlied. Iy this instance the ~ord is intended to
meen “organizing and financing a swimming pool vroject or undertaking." The
odiousness which sometimes is attached to this word as applied to the promoter
of préjects of questionable soundness or value, need not apply to the promotion
of a swimming pool, as a project of this character, proverly and intelligently
set up, pays dividends of immeasurable value which can not be expressed in terms
of dollars end cents. However, ~hen intelligently planned end organized a
swimming pool in the average comminity need not lack in financial success,
Soundness, financially, economically, socially, in health and recreation dividends,
is not only possible but should end can be varemount in any plen for e community
svrimming pool.

The first step in promoting e new swimming pool in a community which
has not had one, or a new or improved pool where the old one is inadequate,
inefficient or obsolete, is to create a community swimming nool consciousness.
This means education, often involving tact, ability, patience and perseverance
in this first process. However, usually the lack of success in this vreliminary
step is due to lack of sufficient interest on the part of someone ho could do
the job well. The best way to do a job is to do it. Thre is no substitute
for intelligent effort, in building a swimming pool or a wood shed,

This job of educating the public is an important one, presenting many
opportunities to have the people of the community understand in the beginning
what a good modern swimming pool means, and understand the difference betveen
a pool of highest sanitary standards end one which may be simply a hole with
water in it, or a nearbv creek or river. “hen the public understands the
value of a modern clean sanitary pool, and the reasons “hy bathing places which
ere below these standards are extremely dengerous, the promoters have gone far
tovard the ultimate goal and are ready for the next step.

The second st-p overlans somewhat the first one in that it is helpful to
have at least part of the information provided by the second part of the under-
taking to secure best results in the first. This second division of procedure
is to have prepared, by one well qualified, a proper design for the pool and all
equipment to fit the community. The subject of pool design will be presented by
enother speaker on the program, but reference should be made to it here to em-
phasize the importance of having prover plans and specifications if the promoters
are to succeed in any stage of their work, and to assure sutcess of the project
after the pool is in operation. Design and success, financially and otherwise,
are inseparable. In the past before modern swimming pool standards were estab-
lished, too many pools vere constructed bv those whose good intentions, conscience
and honesty are above question, but ~hose work and efforts produced results which
show unmistakable evidence of "zeal without knowledge", This statement should
not be interpreted as unfair criticism, as swimming pool standards as ve now
have them, thanks to the State Department of Public Health, do not date back
many years in any state. VYowever, it is this situation ~hich makes the job of
reselling the public on rebuilding or improving svimming pools so difficult for
the State Health Department, local health euthoritics, and local organizations
which are trying to help communities bv providing safe, sanitary, clean pools.