BDK Architects

Sport & Leisure

Harve Des Pas Pool

Havre des Pas Bathing Pool was originally constructed by The Jersey Swimming Club and opened on 22nd May 1895. The Club has the unique honour of having been incorporated in 1893 by her Majesty in Council and subsequently having obtained from the Crown a lease of the foreshore from La Collette to the Dicq with the intention of providing two swimming pools, to teach swimming to islanders in response to the many drownings of that era.

After a very rich history of nearly one hundred years, with the advent of indoor heated pools from the 1960’s, the Bathing Pool’s use unfortunately declined, and for many years lay decaying from the ravages of its sea environment, much to the disappointment of those who knew the joy the pool had brought in its hey-day.

Whilst States Departments had given some financial support over the years, this had barely covered basic maintenance, and the Jersey Swimming Club wanted to realise the dormant potential that cried out to be fulfilled at the Bathing Pool. In 1994 we worked with the Club to develop a scheme for the refurbishment and re-use of the Pool and a States working party was set up in conjunction with the Jersey Swimming Club to look at the future of the pool and its surroundings.

With our Client, we sought private and States funding, including a bid for the project to become the States “realisable” Millennium Project. Subsequently, the Swimming Club relinquished its lease and home of over one hundred years and finally, with assistance and under the control of the Waterfront Enterprise Board, funding from the States Tourism Investment Fund was obtained to commission our detailed feasibility report and progress the project to fruition as a Waterfront Enterprise Board project.

After exhaustive research and many difficult design considerations, we compiled a graphic Feasibility Study which illustrated the potential and identified possible alternative uses, all aimed to fulfil our brief of “making the pool a vibrant centre for water related activities, maximising Tourism impact”.

The Feasibility Study included research into the history of the Pool, investigation of structural problems that existed and our providing options for renovation of the listed historic structure with an exhaustive summary of the opportunities for the pool’s future use. These were portrayed in a full colour report showing concept visuals and outline design proposals produced in-house both in hard copy and using computer aided presentations suitable for the large Public Meeting and Consultation exercise we conducted, including distributed response sheets to obtain public opinion.

The main renovation, adaptation and enhancement of the original facilities has now been successfully completed to wide acclaim and brought one of the world’s largest open-air Lidos back to its former glory. We have been privileged to be instrumental in realising this exciting project which includes a new permanent bridge link from the Havre des Pas promenade to the rock founded facilities within the bay, thus giving everyone easy access to a new cafeteria, which will house an important marine interpretation centre when funds are available, toilets and changing facilities, beach shower, extensive observation and sun decks and a new arc of terracing providing an amphitheatre overlooking the vast pool area activities that can now once again take place.

We hope our full vision for the Havre des Pas beach area as depicted in our feasibility presentation, entitled “A future of Fun”, can be realised some time in the future when further funding is available, so, enhancing and turning the complete beach area into a space for family fun in a safe environment. In the meantime our work has brought the Bathing Pool back into full use which is once again a very popular facility.