{"id":4696,"date":"2021-11-09T12:36:21","date_gmt":"2021-11-09T01:36:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bassstraitmaritimecentre.com.au\/?p=4696"},"modified":"2021-11-11T11:10:42","modified_gmt":"2021-11-11T00:10:42","slug":"the-torquay-swimming-baths","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bassstraitmaritimecentre.com.au\/history\/the-torquay-swimming-baths\/","title":{"rendered":"The Torquay Swimming Baths"},"content":{"rendered":"
On Saturday the 11th <\/sup>of February 1888, a special meeting was held by shareholders of the Torquay Bathing Company, a company which had been created to build public baths in Devonport.\u00a0 At this meeting it was decided that a tender would be called for the erection of the baths. A meeting on Tuesday the 21st<\/sup> of February advised shareholders that tenders ranged from \u00a3309 to \u00a3480 had been received and were being considered by the directors. It was announced in the Launceston Examiner<\/em> of Tuesday the 28th<\/sup> February 1888 that a tender for the erection of the Torquay baths had been accepted and that the successful tenderer was a Mr E. Higgs.<\/p>\n The baths were to be built on an inlet located between the river end of Thomas Street and Police Point, an area known as Tater Bay by the locals because potato storage sheds had previously been located there. The bathing structure would comprise a large building enclosed on the western side, and the water within the bathing structure would reach a depth of around three metres at high tide. There would be fifteen change rooms designated for either men or women, and the two sexes would also be separated while swimming. The families of shareholders would be able to use the baths free of charge, while the public would be charged an entry fee.<\/p>\n