Hafnarfjörður Swimming Pool 80 years old

At the end of August 1943, the Hafnarfjörður Swimming Pool was opened with pomp and circumstance, and is therefore 80 years old at present. To mark the occasion, there will be an open house on Monday, 11 September 2023 at 15:00. The construction of the Swimming Pool was a great revolution in its time, as before that, the townspeople learned to swim in the sea. A new historical plaque will be unveiled outside the pool, at the spot on the seafront path where swimming was taught before the pool was built. In the foyer, new proposals for changes and improvements to the pool will be on display, and historical photographs will adorn the walls. Stefán Ómar Jakobsson and friends will play light poolside jazz for attendees.

„The healthiest and most beneficial sport of all sports“

Early on, ideas emerged for the construction of a swimming pool in the town; people wanted „to promote the establishment of a swimming pool in the town, where the town's children and youth could learn the healthiest and most beneficial of all sports, swimming“. In the following years, various ideas for the pool's location were put forward, but it was not until 1939 that a drawing and a cost estimate were submitted for a swimming pool at Krosseyrarmalir, and construction began in October of the same year.

1943, the opening of the swimming pavilion in Hafnarfjörður, which was later built over and is now the Hafnarfjörður swimming pool. A large crowd on the poolside watches the swimming practice.

In 1943, the following news report was published about the opening of the swimming pool: „This is a most remarkable undertaking, which will undoubtedly have no less significance for the physical well-being of the people of Hafnarfjörður than the Swimming Pool has for the people of Reykjavík. The sea is used in the pool and is heated with central heating. The water is equipped with a complete purification system.“ The swimming pool was open all year round, but its operation was divided into three periods. From 1 November to 1 April, it was run as a bathhouse. In April, May, September and October, only the water in the shallow end was heated and cleaned, so the swimming pool was only in full use during the summer months.

In 1949, the use of seawater in the pool was discontinued, and the coal boilers were replaced with oil heating. A decision was made to build a cover over the pool in 1951, and it was inaugurated as a swimming pool two years later. It was in 1976 that the swimming pool was connected to the district heating system, which completely changed its operational basis for the better. The following year, two paddling pools were installed in a sun shelter by the pool.

A renowned place for socialising and health promotion

The Hafnarfjörður Swimming Pool is a renowned social and wellness hub for residents of Hafnarfjörður and visitors of all ages, ideally located on Herjólfsgata, which runs parallel to Strandstígur, the most popular walking trail in Hafnarfjörður. It has become increasingly common to hold various events in the swimming pool's facilities, on the pool deck, as the venue is unique for entertainment and experiences. An event of this kind was indeed held during the 2022 Advent season, when the popular singer and Hafnarfjörður native, Klara Elíasdóttir, performed lovely music for the swimming pool's guests, putting them in the Christmas spirit. Today, the Hafnarfjörður Swimming Pool features a 25-metre indoor pool, two spacious hot tubs in an enclosed garden with powerful massage jets that are very popular, and a sauna cabin. The pool is heavily used by older people and residents in the vicinity. The Hafnarfjörður Swimming Club holds some of its training sessions in the pool, and pupils from Víðistaðaskóli and Engidalsskóli attend for their school swimming lessons.