Paternoster's Crystal Pool

**Fast Facts**
Place type:	Building
Town or Locality:	Gawler

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Walter (Wally) Paternoster built the Crystal pool in 1932, on his land adjacent to Para Para estate. It was quite an innovative undertaking at the time, which proved to be extremely popular. He also added a skating rink/tennis court, change sheds, a kiosk and seating to accommodate 200 people. Skates could be hired from the kiosk, which also sold drinks, ice-cream, sweets and biscuits.

Paternoster's Crystal Pool was officially opened on Oct 29 1932. A crowd of 600 attended. Pat's pool, as it was known, was the venue for the Gawler Amateur Swimming Club's competitions, Swimming Carnivals, and State championships. The Advertiser "Learn to swim" campaign was held at the pool in Feb 1936.The skating rink was also used as a dance floor for Open Air dances, which were held regularly during the summer months, attracting hundreds.

A Melbourne Cup Ball, with full orchestra, was held in Nov 1933, with an attendance of 1,000 people. The cement floor was surfaced with a glass like finish. Lights were erected around the pool for night time swimming, which was also very popular, and people would be swimming at the same time as the dances were being held. According to ads in the Advertiser, dances were held at Paternoster's Amusement Centre.

Many local school children learnt to swim at Pat's pool during the 30s and 40s, as part of their school curriculum. Most of Gawler's baby boomer generation would remember the long trek to Pat's pool in their younger days. By the mid to late 50s the pool had gone into decline, and was closed permanently a couple of years or so before the new swimming pool was built.

Have a look at more photos of Paternoster's Pool by clicking here.

Please Click Here to read the 48 pages of "My Memories of Gawler - 1923+" - by Colin Hillier - page 18.

References

Official opening of Paternoster's Crystal Pool, which was held on Sat Oct 29 1932. Approxiametely 600 people attended.

Paternoster's Pool aka The Crystal Pool

Many Gawler school children had swimming lessons in Pat's pool during the 1930's and 40's

Seating over the change sheds.

Tennis court to the right. It was also used as a skating rink. Popular open air dances were also held on the tennis court on balmy summer evenings.

Wally Paternoster presenting a trophy to a member of the Gawler Amatuer Swimming club. Third from the left is Eddie Mahoney, Gawler champion swimmer and diver.