Where to splash the cash in Ashburton

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:

Splashing the cash on swimming pools is considered to be money down the drain.

But the council is still proposing spending millions on an outdoor pool.

A new outdoor pool at the EA Networks Centre, at an estimated cost of $3m, will be the preferred option in the long-term plan over repairing the Tinwald Pool ($3m), installing hydro-slides at EA Networks Centre ($3.5m) or upgrading the paddling pool and water play area at the Ashburton Domain ($3m).

The council's people and facilities group manager, Sarah Mosley, told councillors at a recent workshop that outdoor pools simply don’t make money.

In its best season, 3050 people in 2020-21, the Tinwald Pool recorded a $66,000 loss, costing ratepayers around $18 per swim.

Councillor Leen Braam wanted to know how that compared to the EA Networks aquatic centre.

“The challenge is all aquatic facilities lose money,” Mosley said.

“The costs are high and they provide a service that no other people generally want to provide.

“The comparison in cost is: Do you want to lose more than you need to lose?”

It was difficult to make a comparison between Tinwald Pool and EA Networks as the aquatic centre is an annual operation with multiple indoor pools, Mosley said.

An outdoor pool built at the EA Network Centre would lose less money than the Tinwald Pool if was fixed, “due to the operational efficiencies”.

The $3m figure for the Tinwald Pool is for the scope of work believed to be required, but as with any restoration “you don’t know what you are going to find”, Mosley said.

“When we find something that is out of scope, that could skyrocket the cost and we wouldn’t know that until we find it.

“That’s one of the risks of the Tinwald Pool project versus a greenfield new pool project, which also has a risk of cost escalations but not as many unknowns.”

The $3m would cover repairing the Tinwald Pool but would not include any other upgrades and wouldn’t solve the lifeguard shortage that hampered its operation last summer.

While the outdoor pool options would lose money, hydroslides would be a year-round income stream.

Hydroslides at EA Networks Centre caused plenty of debate back in 2015 but the council of the day opted not to install them.

The proposal is a joint venture operation, partnering with an outside party providing the slides that share the costs and the income.

The Domain Paddling Pool project was included in the Ashburton Domain Development Plan. The project would relocate the paddling pool next to the children’s playground and add a water play area.

It is free to use but doesn’t require lifeguards.

The long-term plan will also have a fifth option – do nothing, saving the community from funding the $3m.

If another option is chosen it will signal the long-term closure of the Tinwald Pool and alternative uses of the site will be investigated.

Councillor Phill Hooper proposed handing the Tinwald Pool back to the community to crowd-fund the necessary repairs and then run it as a community pool with a key subscription system.

It could be an option for the future but it comes with complications, Mosley said.

“It is on council land so the council does not relinquish its overriding health and safety obligations.”

As well as the health and safety factor, pools on council land still need to reach water treatment and water quality standards, Mosley said.

Councillor Lynette Lovett said Tinwald Pool needed community ownership.

“If people raise funds and put money into it they will take ownership. If council just goes and puts a [new] pool in there it will keep running the same and be closed more than it