Merrylands Swimming Centre's under 14 4 x 200 metres relay team display the Campbetltown trophy they won at a recent Camden carnival.

They are (left to right): Kim Warwick, Mike Lewis, Daryl Earl and Geoff Cashel.

Kim Warwick is the Merrylands breaststroke champion and qualified for the NSW titles at Drummoyne.

Lewis is the club's under 12 all round champion.

He contested the State butterfly and medley championships at Drummoyne.

Daryl Earl is the club champion in the under 14 butterfiy section and is also a proficient backstroke and freestyle exponent.

Cashel is also an all-rounder who is adept at all swimming styles.

Club trainers are confident the boys can repeat their winning performances at future carnivals.

Officials last week said the team had trained extremely hard this season.

"We are out to give their clubs in the area a real testing with these boys." one official said.

Source: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/163745724

Aldermen of Holroyd Municipal Council have congratulated the staff at Merrylands Swimming Pool on the way it has been run.

At the last meeting of council, Aid. H. L. Maley said ratepayers had congratulated the pool staff on the attendances at the pool and the attention given to the 'boisterous' element.

Pool attendants have cracked down on rowdy behaviour and horseplay.

Ald. W. Try supported Ald. Maley.

He added that the Merrylands Swimming Club which has the pool as its base, is going from strength to strength.

The club has 250 members, and at the present rate of growth could soon become the largest, swimming club in the State.

Attendance figures at the pool for the two weeks previous to the council meeting had been included in a report to the council.

The figures showed more than 30,000 people had used the pool in this short time.

Children comprised the bulk of the figure with the turnstiles recording an amazing 19,614.

A further 397 were admitted under children's concessions.

Paying adults totalled 7132 with 389 being admitted under concessions.

The pool, opened less than three months ago, on November 9, and already more than 115,000 have passed through the turnstiles.

At the official opening, performed by the Mayor of Holroyd, Ald. R. W. Devlin, it was announced that the $400,000 pool was the second completed by the Holroyd Council in three years.

The opening days gave a good indication of the demand for the pool.

Thousands of children and their parents turned up for the ceremony.

After the opening ceremony Ald. Devlin declared "open house" and within minutes there was hardly room to move in any of the pools in the centre.

The swimming club took little time to begin full-scale operations.

Club officers were elected and within five weeks the membership rose to 120.

Since that time, a further 130 have joined the ranks.

Source: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/163746057

Merrylands Swimming Club last week was granted regular use of the new Merrylands swimming centre, recently opened by Mayor of Holroyd, Ald. R. W. Devlin.

Holroyd Council agreed to allow the club the use of the centre for races on Friday nights in the months of December, January and February.

Consideration will later be given for use of the pool by the club in September, October, November, March and April, if the club so desires.

Club president and amteur coach, Mr. J. G. Earl, of Lucerne Avenue, Merrylands, said the club would hold regular activities.

He invited boys and girls of all ages, and parents, to join the club.

Club officers were elected recently, and in five weeks membership rose to 120.

Meetings will be held on the second Tuesday of each month in a clubroom at the swimming centre.

Further information can be obtained from club secretary, Mr. J. Lovell, of Frances Street, Merrylands, telephone 635 9607.

At the opening ceremony, hundreds of children cheered Ald. Devlin as he officially declared "open house" at the swimming centre.

Within minutes of the doors being opened, the three pools were packed with youngsters enjoying a day's free swimming.

Earlier, Ald. Devlin had welcomed fellow aldermen and guests to the ceremony.

Guests included State Member for Merrylands, Mr. L. J. Ferguson, and Mrs. Ferguson, and former Mayor of Holroyd, Mr. G. Maunder.

Apologies were received from Federal Opposition Leader, Mr. Gough Whitlam, State Member for Granville, Mr. P. Flaherty, and Federal Member for Reid, Mr. T. Uren.

Ald. Devlin said the Merrylands centre was the second swimming facility completed by council in three years.

First centre was opened at Wentworthville.

"The centre covers an area of five acres and the Olympic pool is of the utility type, 50 metres long.

"This pool is 60 ft. wide and has eight lanes.

"It Is suitable for water polo, and I understand this will please students from Merrylands High School.", he said.

Also in the centre is a teaching pool, and a wading pool for children.

Centre-piece of the wading pool is a miniature whale.

Provision has been made in the layout of the $365,000 centre for a 25-metre training pool.

Change room accommodation is larger than the same facilities at Wentworthville pool.

The pools are surrounded by thick lawn, and one side is banked to give added protection from wind.

Council was able to provide the Wentworthville centre without in interfering with the general rate and hopes that it can also finance Merrylands pool in the same manner.

Merrylands Swimming Centre Appeal Committee raised $818 towards the cost of the centre.

Source: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/163742037

The picture above shows the learners pool at Merrylands Swimming Centre, and part of the largre crowd attending the official opening. Features of the learners pool include the raised, railed surround, from which instructors can see clearly, and the shallow ends sloping to a deeper centre, allowing classes to use both ends at the same time. The main Olympic pool is to the right, the toddlers' pool to the left, and the administrative buildings in the right background.

The Mayor of Holroyd, Ald. R. W. Devlin, addresses 3000 people before he officially declares Merrylands Swimming Centre open. Mrs. Devlin is seated alongside her husband.

The Mayor of Holroyd, Ald. R. W. Devlin, unveils a plaque commemorating the official opening of Merrylands Swimming Centre.

The plaque contains the names of Holroyd Council aldermen and officers.

The aldermen are: A. L. Brierley, G. Cullis, F. S. Edwards. R. S. Grieve, H. L. Maley (deputy mayor), J. W. Masters, H. Read, P. S. J. Sammut, F. J. Smith, W. R. Try ond O. D. Young.

The officers' names on the plaque are those of the town clerk, Mr. P. A. Arnett, and the chief engineer, Mr. A. H. Alderson.

The swimming centre was built at a cost of $365,000.

The centre contains a main Olympic type pool, a training pool, and a wading pool for children.

Centre-piece of the wading pool, is a scale model of a whale.

Merrylands is on the threshold of a bright new era of sporting facilities.

Holroyd Council plans to have a swimming pool in Merrylands Park completed for the start of the 1968-69 swimming season.

Within a matter of weeks the new cycling track at Merrylands Oval will be completed.

And major dralnagework in Merrylands Park will provide another playing field.

Mayor of Hoiroyd, Ald. R. W. Devlin, is expected to make a statement on plans for the swimming pool at tonight's council meeting.

He said at the last meeting that council would definitely not go back on its decision to build a pool before a library.

The pool, which will be built on the site of a small sports field in Merrylands Park, should be ready for use in October next year.

Work on the pool is expected to begin early in the New Year.

At the last council meeting, Ald, F. S, Edwards suggested that Ald, Devlin should make a statement on the pool, because some people still seemed to doubt that council would go ahead with the project.

He said the doubts seemed to have arisen because of opposition in some quarters to council's decision to build the pool before a central library.

The pool will undoubtedly be a boon to residents of the district.

Parents with young children will probable appreciate the pool more than most people.

The convenience of the swimming facilities will remove a summer headache of what to do at the weekends and in holidays.

Next door to the swimming pool will be the cycling track around Merrylands Oval

Cycling officials say it will be the best track in Sydney, especially following the close-down of some other major tracks.

Lighting work is being done at the track now and should be completed within a few weeks.

Drainage work in Merrylands Park is part of a long term project to pipe the creek which runs through the park.

Observers say this will provide room for an extra playing field.

This summer Merrylands Oval will be used for half of Cumberland Cricket Club's first grade "home" matches.

It all adds up to increasing prominence of Merrylands as a major centre for sporting facilities.

Source: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/164912059

Holroyd council's swimming pool committee is expected to present a special report on the proposed Merrylands pool to council early in March.

Aldermen hope to begin work on preliminary plans and drawings this year.

Construction of the pool could start some time next year.

Town Clerk, Mr. P. A. Arnett, said the committee is now compiling a special report for council.

"It is expected to make a recommendation to council within three weeks.

"Aldermen are hoping for a favourable report from the committee as to the pool's location and finance for the construction." he added.

The exact site for the new pool has not been decided yet, but Merrylands Park is being considered.

The new pool will be built serve residents in Merrylands.

Council's overall swimming pool plan also provides for the future construction of a pool in the Guildford area to serve residents there and in Yennora.

Mr, Arnett said council also hoped to make a start on preliminary plans and specifications this year.

"Construction could then start next year," he said.

Source: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/164911862

Merrylands could have its own Olympic swimming centre within the next three years if residents, community organisations and sporting clubs give their support to a proposed pool finance committee scheme.

Already Holroyd Rotary Club has suggested two possible sites — Merrylands Park, and Lawson Park in Desmond Street.

Rotary president, Alderman F. Edwards and Community Service Chairman, Alderman W. Try, made this joint disclosure yesterday.

The centre would serve Guildford and Mays Hill as well as Merrylands.

The club will approach all district sporting, church and community organisations to form a swimming pool finance committee.

These bodies are expected to give enthusiastic support to the scheme.

Several residents said this week Merrylands Park would be the more preferable site because of its central position and bigger area.

A survey of streets surrounding both parks indicated residents would also be willing to give financial assistance if an appeal was made.

President of Merrylands Chamber of Commerce, Mr. E. J. Sheahan, acclaimed the move as a "progressive scheme for a rapidly progressing town."

"I personally feel the chamber will give its wholehearted support," he said.

"The district could support a swimming centre now more than ever before."

Merrylands residents hailed the scheme as "long overdue".

One housewife and mother of shoolchildren said: "The proposal is very welcome, a swimming centre in Merrylands - will save mothers fares and time."

Another said: "The scheme is certainly overdue, it will be much easier to take the children for a swim now."

Secretary of the Merrylands Leagues Club, Mr. P. McCarroli said he was "sure" the club would support the scheme.

Source: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/189524066