Royal Commonwealth Pool Entrance

A run this afternoon brought me out opposite the 'Commie Pool'.  It was commissioned in 1965 by Edinburgh Corporation (Council) as part of the City's modernisation programme and project to bring the Commonwealth Games to Edinburgh in 1970.   

The new pool was very important in recognising a change in society.  Where once swimming pools had served as a necessary public hypiene function, by the 1960s they were emerging as a place for recreation and leisure. 

The architect was John Richards of Robert Matthew and Stirrat Johnson-Marshall (now RMJM) who were Scotland's foremost post-war exponents of welfare state architecture.  Historic Scotland gave it a category A listing in 1996.