Freyberg Pool Explained

Freyberg Pool
Location Town:Wellington
Location Country:New Zealand
Coordinates:-41.291°N 174.7901°W
Completion Date:1963
Architect:Jason Smith
Awards:NZIA National Award Winner 2011
Style:Modernist

Freyberg Pool is a public indoor swimming pool on Wellington Harbour, New Zealand. The main pool is long.[1] It is named for Bernard Freyberg, a World War I Victoria Cross recipient and Governor-General of New Zealand.[2] A strong swimmer, he won the New Zealand 100-yards championship in 1906 and 1910.[3] Freyberg died in 1963, the year the pool was opened, so it was decided to name it after him as he had trained at Te Aro baths which was previously at the site.[4]

The building is classified as a "Category I" ("places of 'special or outstanding historical or cultural heritage significance or value'") historic place by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust.

In 2011, along with the Michael Fowler Centre, it won an NZIA Enduring Architecture Award.[5]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Get active indoors – Freyberg Pool & Fitness Centre – Wellington City Council. wellington.govt.nz. en-NZ. 30 June 2017.
  2. Web site: Search the List Freyberg Pool Heritage New Zealand. www.heritage.org.nz. en-nz. 30 June 2017.
  3. Book: McLintock . A.H. . Alexander Hare McLintock . An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand . Swimming – national championships . 10 June 2017 . 1966 . Ministry for Culture and Heritage . Wellington.
  4. Web site: Sharpin. Jessie Bray. Freyberg Pool. 3 Mar 2021. Wellington City Council.
  5. Web site: 2011 New Zealand Architecture Awards celebrate the best work by New Zealand's Architects. (www.nzia.co.nz). NZ Institute of Architects. www.nzia.co.nz. 30 June 2017.