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Canberra Amateur Swimming Club originally had its home at the Canberra swimming pool in Manuka. The pool was opened in January 1931 by the then Minister for Home Affairs, Mr Arthur Blakeley. Mr Blakeley would be president of the Club from 1933-1935.
At the Annual Meeting of the Canberra Club in October 1937, the annual report stated that the time was opportune for strong representations to be made to the Department of the Interior for the construction of an Olympic Pool with heating apparatus on the northern side of the river. It was noted that a pool of standard length was desirable in view of Andrew Charlton’s recent announcement that he would endeavour to represent Australia at the next Olympic Games. Charlton was then a resident of Canberra and an active member of Canberra ASC.
The club’s aim was to make Canberra a stronghold of aquatic sports, and the proposed lengthening of the pool, would provide the standard swimming facilities for training.
In October 1944, the Canberra Amateur Swimming Club appointed a committee to meet the ACT Program and Welfare Council. It was agreed that climatic conditions in Canberra gave a short season for open pool swimming and it was agreed that plans of an enclosed pool should be drawn up. The plans were presented showing an Olympic pool, 165 x 60 feet with a diving pool and water polo court alongside to serve a dual purpose. Adjacent to the main pool, waders and children’s pools were shown with a toddlers pool outside the main swimming area. The dome and walls of the enclosed area would be sections in glass, possibly of a sliding nature, to permit an open pool in the summer. The northern wall would be of high glass doors which could slide into recesses, leaving the side open.
John Henry (Harry) Calthorpe of the Canberra ASC noted that the plans and information indicated a great deal of work had been done in the planning for the new pool, and that the swimming club should appoint a committee to consider the details. At the Canberra ASC Annual General Meeting James Brophy, President of the Club, said: “The efforts of the Canberra Amateur Swimming Club deserves nothing less than a standard enclosed pool of substantial proportions and in a picturesque setting on the north side of the city and which can be heated so that people can bathe and swim in healthy comfort for much longer than the presented limited four months of the year”.
The Club felt that there were inadequate swimming facilities in the national capital given the present pool at Manuka was constructed during the depression years with limited finance available at the time. Mr Brophy added that the Manuka pool was “considered inadequate in 1931, [and] is hopelessly so now with double the population”. At that time, the insistent demands of the Canberra ASC had compelled the NSW Swimming Association to include Canberra as a venue for the next NSW Country championships. Mr Brophy suggested that the club had earned the best swimming pool that could be provided. It had taught hundreds of children to swim, and the Club had won the country championship on two occasions. In 1955 work commenced on the new pool and it was expected that the pool would be ready for the opening carnival of the Canberra Swimming Club in November.
The Annual meeting of the Canberra ASC that year was described by president, James Brophy, as the most important held by the club. It was anticipated that separate committees would be formed for controlling club activities at the Olympic Pool and Manuka Pool, but of the Clubs then membership of 328, only 12 came from the North of Canberra, all of whom where children. Mr Brophy indicated he was hopeful North Canberra resident’s would take an interest in the Olympic Pool committee and help promote the sport of swimming in that part of Canberra.
By early December 1955, construction work was in its final stages. A unique feature was described as the spaciousness of the enclosed area, designed to give a picnic atmosphere”. A lawn was laid between Havelock House and included 12 stands for beach umbrellas, amid which brightly-painted chairs were to be arranged. The 50m pool was the first in Australia with starting platforms at each end.
On 10 January 1956, the first carnival of the Canberra Swimming Club was held at the Olympic Swimming Pool, with the biggest crowd to attend a swimming carnival in the 25 years’ history of the Canberra Swimming Club. Every race over each style and distance was recognized as a pool record. On Saturday 28 January 1956, at 2pm, the pool was officially opened by the Minister for the Interior, Mr A Fairhall. Immediately afterwards, the Minister then declared open the 18th NSW Country Swimming, Diving and Water Polo Championships.