Ideas on Makino's future sought

FINDINGS from an extensive community engagement plan undertaken by the Makino Aquatic Centre on possible future developments at the complex should be completed by the end of the month.

The information-seeking project began late last year with a focus group and has involved a tour of three lower North Island pools, a multi-choice public survey form and a school design competition.

MAC Manager, Nick Mannix, said it was important for the silent majority in the community to be engaged and their views sought on where they feel Makino redevelopments should head.

The focus group - comprising Manawatu District Councillor Alison Short, council officers, MAC and Sport Manawatu staff, swim club representatives, senior pool participants and young mothers – visited pools at Levin, Kilbirnie (Wellington) and Porirua last week.

“Each pool offered some little snippets of the different things that our community might want to happen at the Makino,” said Mr Mannix.

He said the tour had proved educational, with focus group members given the opportunity to learn about the operational costs of each pool, what were their biggest money generators and funding splits.

The survey form, currently available throughout the community, asks respondents to choose their top three attractions for the Makino of the future, listing options such as a 50m indoor pool, more indoor lane space, hydrotherapy pool, hydroslide, more play areas, conference room, sauna, spa pool and crèche.

The survey gives those people who reply the chance to win an iPad.

Mr Mannix said there had been a good response so far to the survey, as there was for the school design competition, with the winning pupil to receive Downtown Cinemas vouchers worth $150 and the winning school a free day at the Makino.

Mr Mannix said council’s Community Services group was also intending to encourage further community engagement through its newly-created Public Voice panel, where 500 people would be able to give their views to council by email.

He was confident the findings of the engagement plan would give councillors a broad idea of community thinking when they discussed the Makino’s future at their September workshop.