Excavating the site for the swimming pool in 1909

Excavating the swimming baths, Canterbury Agricultural College 1909. At the end of the year 1907, the sum of £25 was laid aside from the general funds of the students, with a view to providing something towards the cost of swimming baths in the near future. At a general meeting held during the end of last year, a representative committee was elected by the students to try and get the baths begun at the earliest opportunity. The Board of Governors were approached in the matter, and they agreed to supply the material, on condition that the labour was done by the students in their own time. The swimming baths, for so long talked of, began to resolve into a reality during the first session of the present year, when work was commenced. The dimensions chosen were 75 x 25 feet, as being the most suitable under the conditions, the site being the piece of ground on the southern side of the windmill, where operations were started on the 6th of January. The trees were first grubbed with the aid of the traction engine, and then ploughing and scooping was commenced. Some found it difficult to become acquainted with the working of the scoop for a time, and a good deal of trouble was experienced during the removal of the first few feet of soil, owing to the mouth of the scoop catching projecting roots and other obstacles, of ten with results more amusing to the onlookers than to those working. As the excavation sank into the hard clay, the light single furrow plough, which had been in use up to that time, was found inefficient, and Mr Lochhead was kind enough to give us the use of a sub-soil plough, which was more effective in breaking up the hard clay. We were fortunate in striking at various depths layers of sand, which were a relief from the solidity of the clay, appreciated especially by the old stagers "Charlie" and "Duchess." As the digging of the baths progressed, a trip was made with the College engine and two contractor's trucks to Coe's Ford, for the purpose of obtaining gravel and sand, so that the concreting could be begun as soon as possible. Good material was obtained, not without strenuous effort both on the part of students and engine. A later trip was successfully made for the same purpose, to a different part of the Selwyn, but about eight more truck loads will be necessary before the concreting can be completed. No embankment was built up round the baths, but the material removed by the scoop, which was almost entirely clay and sand, was dumped on the ground immediately to the east of the work, with the intention of later on covering it with a layer of good soil and sowing it in grass. Although the excavation reached over 8ft. and is wholly below ground level, (to enable overflow from rams to be utilized) no gravel was encountered, a hard clay bottom being obtained. It will be found necessary to pump the water for filling the baths, and also for draining the last foot or two-the top 4ft. can be run off but it is not yet decided whether to install a centrifugal pump, or to use the reciprocating pump with a high gearing. A temporary pipe has been put in and connected with the existing pump to enable the floor to be kept more or less dry during the winter. Concreting was commenced during the third week of March, but so far has progressed very slowly owing to wet weather and other unfavourable circumstances-about 150 cubic feet of concrete has already been put in. Up to the present date practically all the work in connection with the baths has been voluntary, having been carried out in the students' own time, and as it is impossible to do any concreting now after lecture hours in the short winter days, the Board of Governors has kindly agreed to have the concreting gone on with by skilled outside labour. Every endeavour will be made to get the Swimming Baths ready for next spring, when it is hoped that everyone will be able to enjoy a well-earned swim that has been looked forward to for so long. (Briscoe Moore, p32-33, 1909 June CAC Magazine)