IT is the only venue in the world to have hosted three separate Commonwealth games, and has become a beloved institution in its home city.
The Royal Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh has turned 50 years old with staff and swimmers celebrating the building's half century of serving the city.
Generations of locals have learned to swim within the A-listed building, which is considered one of the finest examples of modernist architecture in Scotland.
It is also home to the only Olympic-standard diving facilities - and the capital's only 50-metre pool - and has been behind the success of many of Scotland's swimming champions.
But while these have been used by elite athletes, the 'Commie', as it became known, has also provided years of fond memories thanks to its iconic white flumes.
Commissioned by the City of Edinburgh Council under a plan by the then Lord Provost Sir Herbert Archbold Brechin in 1966, the swimming pool was part of a wider project to bring the Commonwealth Games to Edinburgh.
Construction began a year later to a design by architect Robert Matthew Johnson Marshall, with structural input from Ove Arup & Partners, and was the pool was opened by Princess Anne in 1970 just in time for the Games.
Triple Commonwealth gold medal-winner Sir Peter Heatly was the first person to dive from the Commie's boards before they opened to the public, who grew to love the cathedral-like space of its 1,700 seat auditorium.
The 'Commie' would also be pressed into service when Commonwealth athletes returned to Edinburgh in 1986, and also when they were held in Glasgow in 2014.
Between those years it was the training ground for athletes such as David Wilkie, the 1976 Olympic 200m breaststroke gold medallist, and 2006 Commonwealth Games 200m breaststroke silver medallist Kirsty Balfour.
As well as being used for Commonwealth Games, the Royal Commonwealth Pool was a venue for the inaugural 2018 European Championships.
However, it wasn't just people who swam in its waters - as it was famously 'invaded' by penguins from Edinburgh Zoo in 1983, which were being filmed for a BBC documentary.
The pool was closed from August 2009 to March 2012 for a £37m redevelopment, giving it a new lease of life. The project, led by Frank and Charlie of S&P Architects included new 25 metres (82 ft) diving and teaching pools as well as improvements to the changing rooms, café, reception, and the dive gym.
Today, The Royal Commonwealth Pool is used for swim and dive coaching for both children and adults, along with recreational swim facilities and water-based fitness classes while hosting major swimming competitions and events.
Events to celebrate the building's milestone anniversary begin today, with Edinburgh’s Got Soul Choir singing Happy Birthday on the poolside at 10am while Scottish diver, James Heatly cuts a giant cake in the shape of the pool, which will be shared out to customers.
The candles will be blown out by 3-year-old Sophie Ramsay, youngest grand-daughter of Charlie Ramsay, 76 years, who was the first employee to be appointed at the pool in August 1969, where he worked latterly as the Lifeguard Training Manager, until his retirement in 2006.
James Heatly, grandson of Sir Peter, is another champion who trained at the Commie, having won medals in each of the past three European Diving Championships as well as at the Commonwealth Games in 2018 in Gold Coast, Australia.
A number of other events marking the occasion include a free exhibition about the history of the iconic building which will run in the foyer until the end of January, along with some specially commissioned prints by Edinburgh-based photographer Soo Burnell which complement her Poolside photographic artworks.
Claire Rusack, General Manager at the Royal Commonwealth Pool explained: “At 50 years old, the Royal Commonwealth Pool is rich in history.
" Old or new, we’d love customers to share their memories of this iconic building."
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