New Recommendations Great News For Christchurch Community

“Delighted!”

That’s how Save Centennial spokesperson Simone Pearson describes the group’s reaction to news that CCC staff will now recommend to councillors, that the central city’s Centennial Pool be repaired.

“We are thrilled council staff understand and appreciate how important it is that access to a public pool on the eastern side of the inner city, be possible, and soon,” she says.

Pearson and her group have been promoting a “no frills fix” for Centennial, which they say will address the immediate community needs of access to a public pool in the area while construction of a new metro facility is underway.

Simone Pearson is appealing to councillors to take heed of what the community is asking for, and encouraging them to vote to support the repair.

“While I recognise there are people suffering with lack of access to housing and basic infrastructure, it doesn’t have to be either or and considering the relatively low cost of $1.8 million to repair Centennial, this will deliver immeasurable benefit to the community.”

The staff recommendations make mention of demolishing Centennial when one phase of a new metro facility is completed.

“There’s a lot of water to go under the bridge until we get to that point, so let’s look at that when the time comes,” she says.

The repair of the Centennial pool will help address the short to medium term need of the wider community including children, the elderly, the disabled, workers and families, residents.

“Without this repair to Centennial, we are likely to have thousands of children who are unable to swim or who swim poorly, to say nothing of the health benefits to the wider community,” she says.

A decision by the city councillors is expected next week.

ENDS

For further comment, please contact Simone Pearson on 027 279 3000