Hamilton council looks to designate Jimmy Thompson Pool after considering demolishing the building

Instead of demolishing the historic Jimmy Thompson Memorial Pool, Hamilton has designated the 1930 building located on 1099 King St. E. near Tim Hortons Field, recognizing it as a significant historical building in the city.

Ward 2 Coun. Jason Farr applauded the heritage committee's decision to designate the building where legendary swimming teacher and Olympic bronze medallist Jimmy Thompson taught a generation of Hamiltonians to swim. Councillors are scheduled to confirm the designation at their Nov. 10 council meeting.

Heritage staff said a third party applied to the city to designate the building in 2013, two years before the city recommended it be demolished so the Bernie Morelli Recreation Centre could be built.

Thompson's daughters Jo-Ann Young and Patty Bogumil, said Farr, wanted not only to maintain their father's name, but the heritage of that pool. They played a large role in the designation."

They were a couple of girls who grew up in dad's pool," added Farr. (Jimmy Thompson) worked for the City of Hamilton, and he worked at that pool for many, many years."

The pool was conceived in 1928 as a municipal facility and opened in 1930 where it was the swimming venue for the British Empire Games.

Thompson was born in Scotland in 1906 and died in 1966. He took a bronze medal in the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics, and in 1930 at the first British Empire Games held in Hamilton (later renamed the Commonwealth Games) he took home a gold medal in the relay.

In 1959 Thompson was recognized as the city's Citizen of the Year. He dedicated more than 30 years of his life to managing the Hamilton Aquatic Club at the facility.

The pool was renamed Jimmy Thompson Memorial Pool in 1971.

According to Swim Ontario, Mr. Swimming," is said to have coached more than 60,000 Hamiltonians, many of whom went on to be successful swimmers at the national and international levels.

I learned to swim from Jimmy Thompson," said Heritage committee member Will Rosart.

Heritage committee member Tim Ritchie applauded the committee's decision to designate the building after the facility was under threat to be demolished in 2015.

Heritage committee members at the time opposed the city's option to demolish the pool as part of the construction of the new Bernie Morelli Recreation facility across the street from the Tim Hortons Field. Council eventually agreed to incorporate the historic building into the new $17-million recreation facility.

We have come full circle," said Ritchie.