Opening in 1921, Levenshulme Swimming Baths were designed by English architect Henry Price (1867-1944). He was also responsible for the design of the Victoria Baths in Chorlton-on-Medlock as well as the various Carnegie libraries, the Hydraulic Power Station - which is now People's History Museum - as well as many other buildings around the Manchester area.

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Levenshulme Baths was the swimming pool Sunny Lowry -  the first British woman to swim the English Channel - trained in 1933 as she was developing an aptitude for long-distance swimming and used to train with her sister at these baths so that she could attempt distance swimming competitions in Windermere. 

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For nearly 100-years, the former public baths served the Levenshulme community, later adding a sauna, steam room and gym to its two swimming pools.

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The now abandoned swimming baths was once considered one of Manchester's iconic swimming venues yet today - in 2024 - it stands ravaged by fires and in an extreme state of decay. 

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In 2012, Manchester council announced the swimming baths would close along with Carnegie Library opposite the road due to spending cuts. This led to a campaign to save the important swimming baths whereby locals campaigned with placards and on one occasion, protestors lay down in the middle of the street to demonstrate the pool's imminent closure.

However, this only gave the swimming baths a temporary reprieve and on 18th February 2016 despite the campaigning to save the historic venue, Levenshulme Baths was closed, and was later replaced by the Arcadia Library and Leisure Centre in 2015.