Council to decide on maintenance projects at Waitaki Aquatic Centre

Council will be deciding on whether or not it will go ahead with a number of maintenance projects at the Waitaki Aquatic Centre during its meeting on 23 September.

A report from Council’s Community Services Committee is recommending that Council undertake a number of maintenance and improvement projects on the Centre early next year. These include replacing pool filters and pumps, pool floor tiles grouting, upgrading heating, reinstating the public toilets in the foyer, and giving the entrance a facelift.

Council’s Chief Executive, Michael Ross, says that this work will ensure that the Aquatic Centre continues to be a first class facility for the community.

“The Aquatic Centre is a highly popular and successful facility that we believe is well worth maintaining so the community and visitors alike can continue to enjoy it.”

The Aquatic Centre was opened nearly nine years ago and it is usual for these types of facilities to undergo maintenance work after this length of time.

Mr Ross says the work will provide consistent water temperature in the pools, better water quality, will create more energy efficiency and generally make the Centre a more pleasant environment to be in. He also says that it is vital that the work is completed soon.

“If we hold off on doing this work, the Aquatic Centre will cost us more to operate over the coming years.”

The Aquatic Centre has had more than one million visitors in the past nine years and is due to have its one millionth swimmer within the next few months. Centre Manager, Kathy Moore, is delighted with its success.

“In 2007/08, we had 136,850 visitors, well in excess of our target. On average, one in four Waitaki children are enrolled in regular swimming lessons at the Centre and we get many others from outside the District travelling to use the facility.”

The work at the Aquatic Centre will be paid for from reserves set aside for this purpose, and from a loan of $115,000, less than that provided for in Council’s ten year plan.

If the projects are approved by Council, it is expected that the pool will close for about three weeks in April next year so the work can be completed.