“I cannot sit by and watch another part of the city’s heritage be destroyed.”
Those were Tauranga resident Jan Iles’ words on Tuesday as she submitted to city councillors her petition to stop the demolition of the Memorial Pool.on Tuesday.
Her petition asked that the council defer making any final decisions about whether the war memorial swimming pool should be demolished until after it had consulted with the community.
The outdoor pool in Memorial Park was built in 1955 to honour those lost in World War II.
It opened five months a year over summer, but permanently closed at Easter due to age-related issues.
The Tauranga Memorial Pool has been closed since Easter. Photo / Kelly O’Hara
In a report to a closed-door council meeting in April, pool operator Bay Venues described the Memorial Pool as operating at 20% of its capacity.
It was described as in “end-of-life” condition, due to significant leaks and an “ageing” heating system.
The report said closing the pool permanently would save $176,000 a year.
The council supported the closure and announced it in a media release.
Bay Venues chief executive Chad Hooker said the pool was not used enough to support the cost of keeping it open.
Mayor Mahé Drysdale said a new facility proposed for the site would be a significant upgrade.
The council has been looking at scaled-back options for a new aquatic centre at Memorial Park after ditching a $124 million plan approved when a commission was leading the council. It included indoor and outdoor pools, three hydroslides and a splash pad.
In May, councillors progressed a new concept estimated at $81m and focused on core services, including lane swimming, sports, learn-to-swim programmes, hydrotherapy and recreational use.
They also approved $4m funding to decommission the existing pool, and for detailed design and consenting of the new facility.
They discussed the pool being a memorial, and agreed the design for the new facility would include a connection to this, and extend it to include all New Zealand conflict veterans.
Iles said the council created a community board for the Ōtūmoetai Pools including community representatives, and the same should be done for the Memorial Park pool.
Jan lles said the community had been let down and public consultation needed to take place. Photo / Kelly O’Hara
She claimed the process for the demolition decision and latest planning for the new aquatic centre had “been in breach of the Local Government Act”.
She claimed the decommissioning funding decision came less than 24 hours after councillors were made aware of the pool’s historic significance.
“The community has been let down.”
She said the proposed aquatic centre project had raised many concerns within the community, with the growing debt burden on ratepayers being one of the most significant.
She claimed no options had been considered to retain or refurbish the pools.
Iles said people had lined up to sign the petition when they campaigned at a local market.
The online version had more than 1900 signatures, she said, and a hand-signed copy had about 600.
The council will revisit the redesign, costs and long-term funding implications for the new development in September. Photo / Kelly O’Hara
Tauranga resident Barry Scott also spoke in the council meeting’s public forum to oppose the demolition.
He said if the council demolished the pool, it would be “digging a hole that future councils and ratepayers will have a lot of trouble getting out of”.
Matua-Ōtūmoetai ward councillor Glen Crowther asked Scott if he was familiar with the Long-Term Plan consultation on the pool.
Scott said he viewed this consultation as inadequate. He called for a group to be formed of representatives, iwi, council representatives and affected parties to study the issue, listen to different viewpoints, compare options and consider expert advice.
The council unanimously voted to receive the petition.
Iles asked Drysdale when they could expect a response, to which Drysdale said, “I’m not sure”.
The council was expected to revisit the design, costs and long-term funding implications for the new Memorial Park Aquatic Centre in September, as part of wider discussions for the next Long-Term Plan.
– LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Ayla Yeoman is a Local Democracy Reporting journalist based in Tauranga. She holds a Bachelor of Arts majoring in communications, politics and international relations from the University of Auckland, and has been a journalist since 2022.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
