Swimmers call for longer season

Port Chalmers Pool users, who would like to see the pool’s season extended through the school...
Port Chalmers Pool users, who would like to see the pool’s season extended through the school holidays next year are (front, from left) Kahu Eddy (11), Benedek Mikics (8), Bella Mikics (5), Rex Noronha (8), Carlos Allan (8), Sonny George (8), (at rear) Duncan Eddy, and Billy Allan with Gino the dog. PHOTO: LEILA GEORGE
Fans of Port Chalmers Pool, including a local community board member, have called for the pool’s opening season to be extended for another month next year.

The regular pool season runs from September 14 to March 31, meaning Port Chalmers Pool and others have just closed, with school holidays about to start.

West Harbour Community Board member Duncan Eddy is leading the call from local residents for the Dunedin City Council to keep the pool open until the end of the April school holidays in 2022.

“Lots of local families are looking for something to do during Easter and the school holidays, and the weather is beautiful right now. But unfortunately, our local pool has just closed,’’ Mr Eddy said.

"It does make a lot of sense to extend the season for another month, because the bulk of April is made up of weekends or school holidays."

Mr Eddy plans to seek support for the proposal from the West Harbour Community Board at their next meeting on April 21.

He also encourages residents to back the Port Chalmers Pool season extension during DCC’s 10-year plan consultation.

“It’d be good to get some more value out of this great community asset, rather than just having it sitting there empty while the sun is shining and kids are bored.”

In response to questions from The Star, a council spokesman said the Port Chalmers Pool was closed in March for a variety of reasons, including a drop in pool users due to cooler weather.

Most seasonal pools in other centres closed in February or March, and the council had already extended the season at Port Chalmers by moving the opening date from October to September, to cater for school holidays during that month.

Extending the season further, by pushing out the closure date to April, would also add additional cost, and council did not believe there was enough demand to warrant a further change, the spokesman said.

Submissions to the DCC’s 10-year plan could be made by anyone and would be considered.

Submissions close on April 29.

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