Kaikōura Community Pool
Construction of the long waited Kaikōura Aquatic Centre is well underway with an anticipated opening in Spring 2021!
The centre will include the 25 x 12m lap pool, a 6m x 10m multi-use learn to swim/hydrotherapy pool and a beach entry toddler pool. Changing rooms and a picnic/BBQ area are also part of the aquatic centre construction.
CMT Group NZ Ltd are constructing the Aquatic Centre. CMT is a Marlborough and Canterbury company who will work with local subcontractors to build the 25m pool and surrounding complex. Local Kaikōura firms will provide at least 35% of the building works or products for the centre.
Between the Kaikōura Community Charitable Trust Board and Kaikōura District Council funding of $3.7M has been secured for the construction of the aquatic centre, well done Team.
Donations and Sponsorship
The pool team are still looking to raise money from sponsorship and community fundraising for additional equipment such as a thermal pool blanket system and a Splashpad for kids incorporating a whale tail fountain and jet streams.
Donations of any amount are welcome to the Kaikoura Community Charitable Trust Board Account number 03-1586-0093009-001
Because the trust is a registered charitable trust, all donations are tax deductable. Read more about it here.
Sponsorship there are lots of opportunities for sponsorship.
Developed Pool design
The goal for the new pool is to design a complex that will serve the needs of the entire community, including elderly and youth, for at least the next 50 years.
The complex includes a 25 x 12m lap pool, a 6m x 10m multi-use learn to swim/hydrotherapy pool and a beach entry toddler pool as well as changing rooms, toilets, a small office and outdoor tiered seating.
Location
The new pools will be built on the Scarborough St (South) recreation reserve located behind Innovative Waste. The decision to build the new pool on Scarborough Street behind Innovative Waste was made after community consultation as part of the Annual Plan 2019/2020.
The Council is separately developing plans to close and cap the landfill and redesign the neighbouring Innovative Waste resource recovery centre and landfil. The capping and redesign are expected to greatly reduce the visibility, noise and odour. Read more about this
The Budget
Stage one (building the outdoor pool complex) will cost an estimated $3.7million. Funds have now been secured for this stage including a $1million contribution from Council, $950,000 from the DIA Lotteries Earthquake Recovery fund, $100,000 from the local Op Shop, $150,000 from the Rātā Foundation, a Lottery Community Facilities Fund Committee grant of $350,000, $1 million from the COVID Recovery Fund and several contributions by generous individuals and local groups. Approximately $30,000 has been raised through community fundraising.
The Team
The Kaikoura Community Charitable Trust trustees are; Mayor Craig Mackle, Mark Fissenden, John Diver, John Wyatt, Toni Batey, Rosie Clemett.
Youth representatives are Owen Thornton and Petra Jellyman.
The core team is supported by ‘friends of the pool’ who lead fundraising efforts; Emma Fissenden, Sueann Jones, Justine Schroder.
Council and the Trust developed an Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreement outlining how they will work together.
Local swimming facilities
Dusky Lodge Pool
67 Beach Road
Outdoor and heated - non-guests $5 per swim
Contact Dusky Lodge 03 319 5959
Kaikōura Primary School
This has been closed due to Health and Safety concerns.
We thank everyone for supporting this initiative since the Kaikōura Community Pool/Lions Pool was closed due to damage sustained during the November 2016 earthquake.
Background
Council are supporting the community to build a new indoor pool in the following ways;
- Contributing up to a total of $1million for the construction of the pool.
- Contributing up to $70k per annum in operating costs once the new pool is operational.
- Partnering with and supporting the Trust throughout this process.
The Kaikōura Community Pool, previously known as the Lions Pool, was located on the Esplanade until it was damaged by the November 2016 earthquake. Planning for this pool started in 1966 and it was fundraised for and built by 1970. On 07 March 1970 it was opened by Peter Snell.
The pool project was a Lions and community joint project, with a paid coordinator being employed to prepare for, and supervise the working bees that occurred every Wednesday and Saturday. Bernie Brown and Bryan Seddon did an excellent job at rostering the largely unskilled and fully voluntary labour force that worked together to construct the pool.
Fundraising was collected through a variety of different avenues and community events - scrap iron sales, raffles for an Aston Greathead painting and a pony from Paul Harnett, as well as a grant from the Canterbury Education Board for $4000.
The changing rooms and toddler pool was a later addition to the facility and Kaikōura Lions Club also built planter boxes out of railway sleepers to beautify the swimming pool area.
The Lions Pool served the community for many years until 2016 when the earthquake damaged the facility. Council and the community are now working towards a new pool for the community.
*Many thanks to Lions member Melville Symes who provided Council with this information.
Useful links
10 December 2020
