Ruislip Lido (via Wikipedia):
The reservoir was opened on 5 December 1811 as one of the feeder reservoirs for the Grand Junction Canal by engineer John Rennie and constructor Hugh Mackintosh. The link to the canal did not fulfil its intended purpose, since the water became polluted by the land and was eventually stopped as a feeder in 1851.
The canal (now renamed the Grand Union Canal) is located some distance to the west and a culvert was built to lead water to the canal at Hayes Bridge which is seven miles from the Lido. Some of the route was underground and parts have been built over. Part of the route includes a little-known aqueduct which carries the canal feeder over the River Pinn near Woodville Gardens.
Lido opening
The reservoir was developed as a lido in 1933, with an Art Deco style main building designed by George W. Smith, together with an area reserved for swimming. The formal opening was by Earl Howe in 1936. The building included a cafe and changing rooms, and featured a terrace with steps leading into the enclosed swimming pool. The pool was built with a concrete base, and jetties on either side, but was open into the lido.
Rowing boats were available for hire, with boathouses on the western side of the reservoir. An enclosed boating area for children was later constructed. [...]
Decline and future development
It is said that the local council ran the lido into financial ruin in the 1970s by raising the admission fee beyond the level the market would stand. Additionally, the main Art Deco building was closed and became subject to vandalism. In June 1993, it was damaged beyond repair in an arson attack and was demolished in 1994. The building was replaced in 1996 by a restaurant named The Water's Edge, built in a similar style.
The lido remains a popular location for sunbathing and beach games, and although swimming is officially not allowed owing to pollution and lack of lifeguards, people do swim there.
