Castine Swimming Pool (demolished) - Castine ME

City:: Castine, ME
Site Type:: Swimming Pools, Parks and Recreation, Bathhouses
New Deal Agencies:: Civil Works Administration (CWA), Public Works Funding, Work Relief Programs, Public Works Administration (PWA), National Recovery Administration (NRA)
Started:: 1934
Completed:: 1937
Quality of Information:: Very Good
Marked:: No
Site Survival:: No Longer Extant

Description

There is a three page history of the pool in the Castine Historical Society newsletter by Lynn Parsons (winter 2011) detailing the role of the New Deal in bringing about this fine example of public recreation. According to a Selectman’s report from March 2, 1934, the town voted $1,000 for a CWA project on land donated by Warren Hooper and William Bevan. It opened July 4, 1935 under the supervision of the Public Grounds Department, receiving considerable public support and was very popular with children. In 1937 the Public Grounds Dept. suggested the construction of a bath house. $1,967.55 was borrowed from the Federal Emergency Relief Administration of Public Works, with the construction going to the Rogers Construction Company of Bangor for $2750 and construction beginning immediately.

During the 1940’s and 50’s, the Maine Maritime Academy used the pool for lifesaving training and the Ellsworth YMCA used it for swimming lessons. The last year of use is noted in the town report of 1987, that because of liability costs, $6,500 for rehabilitation, new safety and sanitation regulations that would have cost $50,000, and other costs such as fencing, toilets, etc. the use of the pool came to a sad end.

The pool is no longer maintained as a commercial pool, but the site is currently listed on google maps as a tidal swimming pond, which operates on the principle of using high tides to fill the pool, using a check valve to trap the water in the pool, and emptying it during low tide.