A proposal to build a new learners' pool alongside the existing Wanaka Community Pool as an "interim solution" to cope with increased demand is being revisited.
Lakes Leisure took over the pool's management in 2009. In the past three years it had recorded a "gradual increase" in pool users, which peaked in January this year with 5834 people, Lakes Leisure chief executive Fiona McKissock said.
Lane swimmers and learn-to-swim programmes were increasingly competing for space, particularly at peak times.
"The Wanaka pool just continues to get busier," Ms McKissock said.
"We've identified a need and perhaps an interim solution is a learners' pool."
A new $11.5 million aquatic centre project was dumped from the Queenstown Lakes District Council's 10-year plan in June 2009. While an aquatic centre is still in the footprint for the planned Wanaka Sports Facility at the Three Parks subdivision, it has not been budgeted for and will not be included in the stadium's development.
When the aquatic centre plans were deferred, the council instead considered building a learners' pool at the community pool in 2010-11, which did not eventuate.
Queenstown Lakes deputy mayor Lyal Cocks said there was still $200,000 available in the council's 10-year plan for a learners' pool and the project now needed a firm proposal from Lakes Leisure.
Ms McKissock said Lakes Leisure had recently highlighted the growing need for a learners' pool to the council, which was "supportive" of the idea.
The pool would be indoors and warmer than the main existing pool, making it an "optimal learning space" for children while also freeing up space for lane swimmers, Ms McKissock said.
A scoping project would be completed during the next couple of months to determine the cost of a new pool, what it would look like, and other factors.
Wanaka Primary School principal Dr Wendy Bamford welcomed news of a purpose-built learners' pool.
"We've been told that the [new aquatic centre] pool is definitely 10 years away and so anything that actually plugs a gap until that 10 years is up is more than welcome ... so that children can have swimming lessons and not conflict with public sessions," Dr Bamford said.
