999 days ago

QEII pools to close for two weeks for maintenance

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

One of Christchurch’s biggest pool complexes will be closed for two weeks this summer for planned maintenance work.

The pools at Taiora: QEII Recreation and Sports Centre would be closed from January 17 to 30 for work including maintenance of circulation pumps, filters, heating systems and pool tanks.

The rest of the facility, including the gym and group fitness classes, would remain open as normal, but pool staff would be redeployed to other facilities during this time

Christchurch City Council head of recreation, sports and events Nigel Cox said contractors did as much as they could during last year’s level 3 lockdown when the pools were closed to the public.

The work was part of the council’s regular, rolling maintenance schedule for its recreation facilities, he said.

An automatic door between the pool change rooms and reception would also be installed to help cut down on any draughts coming from reception through to the pool.

“We thank the community for their patience when we carry this work out across our network. This regular maintenance helps avoid unscheduled shutdowns.”

The work was scheduled now, while the summer school holidays were still under way, to minimise the impact on Swimsmart lessons and group bookings, Cox said.

People could still book into school holiday swimming programmes at one of the council’s other facilities: Jellie Park, Pioneer, Graham Condon or the recently opened Te Pou Toetoe: Linwood Pool.

Cox encouraged the community to use other facilities, or the council’s summer pools, while the QEII pools were closed.

Summer pools are located in Lyttelton, Waltham and Templeton, as well as Jellie Park and Te Hāpua: Halswell Centre.

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More messages from your neighbours
6 hours ago

$50 garden centre vouchers!

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

Our winners this week have won $50 to spend at a local garden centre.
Congratulations to:

Cassie Arauzo from Cockle Bay

Elizabeth Williams from Hillcrest

Luke Shamy from Hornby

Mitchell Hopping from Wallacetown

Get in touch with our helpdesk team here if you're on this list! If you're not a winner, check back next week just in case.

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11 days ago

Kalle

The Team from Humans of Christchurch Ōtautahi

"Sports and travelling run in the family, and that's kind of what's led me to come to New Zealand."

"I grew up in a small town in Finland. My dad was involved with sports all his life, he was a shot putter, discus thrower, powerlifter, we traveled quite a bit when I was a kid. He never mentioned much of the rugby days. He just said he broke both of his shin bones playing rugby, so he said, ‘never play the sport, It's crazy.’

I started playing when I was 18. I played my first cap for the Finnish national team in 2014, we won the Finnish championship with my club. Rugby is not a big thing in Finland.

I moved here to play rugby in 2017. The club that wanted me to come over was Methven Rugby Club. They got me here and they were like, ‘what do you do for work? I’d just finished chef school in Finland. ‘We'll get you a job at Mount Hutt as a chef, you can do that while you play rugby with us.’ I said, ‘Perfect. Yeah, I'm in’.

I've always loved food. My mum was an amazing cook, and still is. When I was studying tourism I worked in some hotels in Finland, and I saw how the chef's worked. I just loved the kitchen vibe and I was like, Yeah, that’d be something I'd love to do.

I've had more of a culinary journey In New Zealand than in Finland. I started at Mount Hutt, after that I worked at The Dubliner in Methven. I worked as a senior pizza chef at Sal’s for maybe six months then worked as chef de partie at Cellar Door. At Eliza's Manor, I worked myself up to a junior sous chef. Then the opportunity came to work my first head chef job at Moon Under Water.

We're privileged to have a busy atmosphere, we can try new things and get a bit creative. There are no TV’s, just come here with your family or with your mates, play board games, to socialise.

I really want to drive the local food and ingredients through the menu. We don't mind spending more for quality ingredients as long as it's supporting New Zealand businesses. We just love to use local. And it's pub food, but I feel like it's elevated.

I play club rugby here for the Christchurch Football Club, the oldest club in New Zealand and I still play regularly for the Finnish national team, whenever they can fly me over to play."

- Kalle

View more stories, or nominate someone: @humansofchch
www.humansofchch.org......

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1 day ago

Poll: Is it okay to grocery shop in your PJs?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

I'm sure you've seen it while doing your weekly shop... In fact, it may have even been you.

What do you think about people heading to the supermarket in their pyjamas?

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Is it okay to grocery shop in your PJs?
  • 14.5% It's fine!
    14.5% Complete
  • 74.9% It's questionable
    74.9% Complete
  • 10.6% Other - I'll share below
    10.6% Complete
1632 votes