Before the construction of formal bathing facilities, the people of Aalten sought cooling in the Slingebeek during warm days.
As early as 1906, local interest group ‘Aaltens Belang‘ searched for a suitable place to swim. The location had to be reliable, but the stream was occasionally too shallow. The most suitable spot was found to be the pool at De Pol, where the water mill once stood. Swimming once took place there within a casing, a type of weir. Around 1920, people could “enter the water” in the stream near Nannielaantje (Smeeslaantje); however, the water board removed the weirs from the stream.
In 1920, the municipality purchased a site between Aalten and Bredevoort known as ‘Oosterman’ with the intention of establishing a new general cemetery there. This plan was later reconsidered. On 4 July 1930, during a meeting of the municipal council, the question was raised whether the Mayor and Aldermen were inclined to submit proposals regarding the establishment of a municipal bathing and swimming facility.
In 1933, it was decided to construct a swimming pool on the Oosterman site. Seventy unemployed individuals were deployed as part of the job creation scheme, and the work was completed under the direction of D. Roenhorst of the Nederlandse Heidemaatschappij. Using wooden wheelbarrows with iron-rimmed wheels and shovels, the sand was moved to the sides, creating an earthen embankment around the pool. The construction costs amounted to approximately 14,500 guilders. On 23 June 1934, the ‘Walfort’ swimming pool was opened with swimming and diving demonstrations provided by the Winterswijk water sports association and the women’s swimming club ‘Inter Nos’ from Amsterdam.
Newspaper reports
