Harold Holt Swim Centre’s dive pool returns after 20-year closure

The Harold Holt Swim Centre in Glen Iris, south-east Melbourne, will see the reopening of its heritage-listed dive pool on 19th October after a 20-year closure.

Originally opened in 1969, the pool was a favourite with Harold Holt regulars until 2003 when it, and the adjoining dive tower, closed for safety reasons.

The dive tower will not come back into service but will remain as a monument to a bygone era, however new springboards will ensure plunging in from a diving board is still very much part of a visit to the Harold Holt dive pool.

The official opening by City of Stonnington Mayor, Jami Klisaris will be followed by a demonstration by Diving Victoria athletes who will be the first to take the plunge from the one- and three-metre springboards.

Olympian and Sydney games Bronze medalist, Dean Puller will also be on hand to witness the pool come back into operation.

A multi-million dollar investment by Stonnington Council has seen the 12-month restoration of the heritage-listed dive pool and tower plus improvements to other areas of the swim centre such as a new outdoor spa and plant room.

In addition to diving, the return of the pool has provided opportunities to expand activities offered at the centre, with the pool also used for lap swimming, deep-water aerobics and available for group bookings.

City of Stonnington awarded the restoration contract to Stosius & Staff Constructions Pty Ltd with the scope of the works to include

• Restore the heritage dive tower (with Heritage Victoria approved modifications)

• Reconstruct dive tower spiral staircase and add security gate

• Restore the dive pool

• Install new one-metre and three-metre springboards to the dive pool

• Demolish existing plant store, build new store north of the dive tower and install new plant

• New paving, fencing and landscaping

Images. Courtesy City of Stonnington