How A Mysterious Water Leak Inspired Dublin’s Favourite Swimming Pool
West Wood Club, Sandymount
One day it would become Dublin’s favourite swimming pool. But back in 2002, this Dublin City swimming pool had its challenges.
And without the vision and determination of the founder of West Wood Club the swimming pool would never have been built.
Eighteen years ago, on the 25th June 2002, construction on a new €5 Million luxury swimming pool in Dublin 4 suddenly stopped.
At 2.30pm, that sunny afternoon, a 24-year-old construction worker on the swimming pool was digging 50 feet below ground, when he noticed something strange. Water was rising up from the soil under his feet.
The builder panicked, quickly climbed out of the deep hole, and phoned the architects, who quickly arrived on site.
The leak that nearly stopped Dublin 4 Swimming Pool
For the next three hours they stood and watched the water coming up from the ground. And wondered where the leak was originating from.
Was it a burst water pipe? No. Very quickly, they discover the water was saltwater. Could it be coming from the sea? Hardly.
The architects put an immediate stop order on the new swimming pool. Before construction could continue they needed find the source of the water .
After weeks of tests architects discovered a natural spring buried deep under the ground. The spring had remained a secret for thousands of years. And it was being filled with seawater from Sandymount strand.
Unfortunately, the seawater coming onto the site was a problem for the Sandymount swimming pool. And the architects working on the project didn’t know how to deal with the problem.
But the founder of West Wood Club saw the natural saltwater spring as a unique opportunity.
He would build something very special for the people of Dublin. He would build Dublin’s only heated saltwater swimming pool. And he would get the saltwater from the spring at Sandymount strand. He would fund and build Dublin’s first ever ‘thalassotherapy’ saltwater swimming pool at West Wood Club, Sandymount.
When people swam in his new swimming pool, he wanted them to feel like they were swimming in Sandymount strand. But without the freezing cold.
Attempts to stop Dublin’s first saltwater pool
The architects argued relentlessly against building the ‘thalassotherapy’ saltwater pool at West Wood Club. The cost of building the swimming pool in Dublin 4 would be huge. A 100% increase on the original budget. The upkeep and maintenance of the swimming pool would be astronomical. The salt could be corrosive and very costly if not managed. The facility would need full-time swimming pool experts to maintain the pool after it opened.
But all efforts to persuade the founder to stop the project fell on deaf ears. And all the obstacles made him more determined. He kept pushing the architects, designers, and engineers to come up with a plan to use the saltwater spring. He forced them to combine the thalassotherapy swimming pool with a health club, spa, and a wellness facility for Dublin city.
His dream was to build a fitness and wellness retreat at Sandymount strand to match anything found at the best health spas around the world. He wanted a tranquil, peaceful, and healthy getaway for people living and working in Dublin City.
Dublin’s favourite swimming pool opens
Two years later after discover the spring at Sandymount, the West Wood Club thalassotherapy saltwater swimming pool in Sandymount opened.
The swimming pool is directly opposite the famous Martello tower on Sandymount strand.
Access to the thalassotherapy swimming pool and spa is 100% free for West Wood Club global members.
To find out more about becoming a member, contact our team at 2695764.
Or register for a FREE 4 day trial membership
Check out our other Swimming Pools in Dublin.
