Mosgiel schools seek swimming options

Mosgiel principals are calling on the Dunedin City Council to move quickly in providing options for their schools’ swimming lessons next summer.

The Mosgiel Pool is due to close on April 9 for the winter months and at this stage there are no plans to reopen it before the new $15million pool is completed in late 2022.

Silverstream School principal Greg Hurley recently raised questions about how Mosgiel schools were supposed to provide swimming lessons next summer.

More than half of his school’s pupils went to the Mosgiel Pool, and Moana Pool in Dunedin was not an option because it would be too expensive.

He said the school had to find $12,000 to $15,000 for entry fees and buses to go to Mosgiel Pool.

"We struggle to pay for it. We have to go and get grants just to make it feasible now.

"It would cost a significant amount more to go to Moana Pool."

Mr Hurley believed swimming lessons were extremely important because they saved lives.

"We want kids to know how to get their heads out of water, get out of danger and be able to get to a bank."

Elmgrove School principal Chris McKinlay was also concerned about the loss of the facility.

He said his junior pupils had access to the Mosgiel West Pool directly across the road from the school, but it was not suitable for senior pupils.

He, too, said it would be much more expensive and inconvenient to send pupils to Moana Pool.

The Dunedin City Council parks and recreation acting group manager, Scott MacLean, said that demolishing Mosgiel’s old swimming pool would ensure the community got access to a much better facility as soon as possible.

The plan was to demolish the old Mosgiel swimming pool after the present swimming season.

"We acknowledge there will be some inconvenience for the community, and staff are exploring options for schools in the area for the 2021-22 season."

Asked if the DCC could talk about some of the options being explored, city services acting general manager Robert West said staff were still working through possible options to accommodate Mosgiel schools’ swimming lessons next summer.

"We will have more to say about this in due course."

Mr McKinlay and Mr Hurley said affected schools would like to know the options sooner rather than later, because it took a long time to raise funds and they needed to know how much they would need to contribute.

"You can’t apply for grants unless you say how much you need," Mr Hurley said.

Mr McKinlay said making entry to Moana Pool free had been suggested to the council, among other things.

"But we haven’t had any feedback on the outcomes of those things suggested to the DCC."

Both principals encouraged council staff to move quicker.

john.lewis@odt.co.nz