4 minute read
Ripples' Pools Mark Milestone
SERVING OUR CITY
2022 marks the 60th anniversary of the opening of Penrith War Memorial Swimming Pool and Penrith City Council taking over the management and operation of the first public pool in St Marys.
These swimming pools would grow to become the successful community facilities we now know as Ripples Penrith Leisure Centre and Ripples St Marys Leisure Centre.
The original pool on the Ripples St Marys site was built by Eric Cuckson, a philanthropist with a successful zipper factory in the St Marys Industrial Estate. Cuckson was given permission by Council to construct a public pool next to St Marys High School in 1961. Initially managed by a public committee, the Council was approached by the committee in 1962 to take over the pool. In August 1963 Council prepared plans for a new pool and additional facilities, which was the precursor to the amazing facility the community now has at Ripples St Marys.
Penrith War Memorial Swimming Pool welcomed the public on 24 January 1962 and was officially opened on 31 March 1962 by Alderman B.N.
Fowler – the father of former Mayor and current Penrith City Councillor, Ross Fowler OAM. Alderman Fowler played a pivotal role in the pool’s development, in 1957 acting in his official capacity as Mayor he formed a Committee of Local Citizens to help raise funds for the project.
St Marys' first pool under construction in 1960
Phot: Penrith City Library Archives
Paul Whiteman aged 7 (pictured) was first through the gates when Penrith’s pool opened, waiting at the gates from 4:45 am
Photo from The Nepean Times
The community embraced Council’s swimming facilities from the outset, welcoming a safe and affordable way to escape the summer heat, and the opportunity to develop essential swimming skills and build social connections within the community. In making these pools available to the community, Council provided a wealth of new opportunities for the City’s people.
As the new millennium approached, the need for a local hydrotherapy pool to provide greater community access to health services became increasingly clear. As such, Ripples’ Hydrotherapy centre opened opposite Ripples St Marys in 2001, extending the services to include warm water rehab to assist a greater cross-section of our community.
From such humble beginnings, our Ripples Leisure Centres have grown to become community hubs which bring people together to participate in sporting pursuits, recreation, functions, and community programs, and contribute to the physical, mental, and social wellbeing of our community members.
TODAY PENRITH CITY COUNCIL WELCOMES MORE THAN HALF A MILLION VISITORS AND 100,000 SCHOOL STUDENTS EVERY YEAR THROUGH THE DOORS OF ITS LEISURE CENTRES.
Ripples Penrith features two outdoor pools, splash park, kiosk, and a function room for events.
Ripples St Marys offers one indoor and one outdoor pool, splash park, spa, sauna, kiosk, a full-service gym, kids club and hydrotherapy centre.
Ripples Penrith and St Marys play a vital role in ensuring the safety of the next generation of swimmers, with year-round learn to swim programs for all ages and abilities from babies and children to adults.in the Ripples Squad
Future swimming champions can stay local with squad training - there are currently more than 100 swimmers aged 8 to 24 in the Ripples Squad Program which helps swimmers continuously improve, build fitness, and prepare for competitions.
Ripples St Marys today offers so much more than a pool, with an expanded range of health services. Members have access to a fully equipped gym with accredited Exercise Physiologists and Dietitians available to offer guidance on training, nutrition, and recovery. Locals can enjoy fitness classes, personal training, and other specialised training programs.
