A group of volunteers want to take over the Roxburgh pool and upgrade the facility, after a successful "trial run " last summer.
The matter will be discussed at the Roxburgh Community Board meeting on Thursday. Various plans have been mooted, over several years, for upgrading the existing pool or building a new facility. After consulting the public, the board decided the cost was unaffordable.
The Roxburgh pool management committee - a group made up of volunteers - was given permission to operate the pool over summer. The facility is on land owned by the Central Otago District Council, taken by the Public Works Act from the Ministry of Education for a swimming pool.
Committee members Gary Pasco and Rick Kristel said the 2011-12 season was very successful, as more than 1600 swimmers used the pool.
"The number was no doubt helped by the warm weather and the fact that swimming was free. We also reinstated the key system, which worked well and proved very popular," the men said in a report to the board.
The pool budget was passed to the Roxburgh Area School, which paid all the bills, including the salaries and training for the pool attendants, coal, keys and other costs. The council funds paid for electricity and chemicals.
"One of the goals of the committee was to show that the pool could be run with community volunteers at minimal cost and we feel we achieved this," Messrs Pasco and Kristel said.
"We have proven that the community has the desire for a pool in Roxburgh and the ability to operate the pool efficiently and economically."
The committee wanted to do this again next season but also wanted the pool refurbished. It suggested the upgrade be managed by the committee, under the umbrella of the school, providing the board funded the annual operating costs and also gave an annual grant to cover the rates. The pool and surrounds could be leased to the school for $1 a year.
It listed a series of proposed improvements to the facility and changing rooms and said if the council supported its plans, it would investigate funding options.
"It would be fair to assume that a refurbished pool will be more economical to run and maintain and so would have a minimum impact on the Roxburgh ratepayers," Messrs Pasco and Kristel said.
The council parks and recreation manager, Mathew Begg, has recommended the committee handle investigations into the pool upgrade and a board member be appointed to that group.
He also recommended the board approve an annual grant for the pool, cover the pool rates, electricity and telephone charges and lease the land and gift the assets on it to the school for $1 a year.
