Temporary fix for Wanaka pool

Vanessa van Uden
Vanessa van Uden
Wanaka's public pool is expected to reopen within two months, following a Queenstown Lakes District Council decision to spend $115,000 to strengthen the Wanaka Community Pool building as a temporary measure. 

Mayor Vanessa van Uden said today the council agreed to use funds that were already in the Wanaka pool budget, after receiving a briefing from staff and professional advisers.

The pool was closed last Friday after an independent engineering investigation found the building only met 20% of the new building standard, making it officially "earthquake prone".

The council would make an immediate start on design work and obtaining building consents, and the strengthening measures would be performed as a matter of urgency.

It could take up to two months to reopen the pool.

In the meantime, the council has struck a deal with the Central Otago District Council allowing Wanaka residents to use the Cromwell pool at the same price they would have paid in Wanaka.

Their pool concession cards will also be valid in Cromwell and at Alpine Aqualand in Frankton.

Ms van Uden said the council was aware that many people relied on access to the Wanaka pool to learn to swim, as a training facility and for recreation and therapy.

"This is a temporary solution while we work out the best long-term option for providing pool facilities in Wanaka," she said.

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