Supervision issues problematic for community pool

The Millers Flat Baths Committee is upset at a suggestion the operation of the community-run pool falls short of recommended safety standards.

The outdoor pool is owned by the Central Otago District Council but operated by the committee, which is made up of volunteers.

Council district aquatic centres manager Gary Easthope raised his concerns in a report tabled at a recent Roxburgh Community Board meeting.

Admission to the pool operated by way of a key system, where individuals and families could buy a key to access the facility, buying day and season membership, he said.

The committee did not supervise swimmers.

Responsibility for the safe use of the pool was "accepted" by key holders, by way of a waiver and agreement to terms and conditions signed at the time they bought keys.

"This system, although functional, falls well short of the supervision requirements considered to be the `minimum acceptable industry standards' for public swimming pools as developed by the National Recreation Association, Sparc and Water Safety NZ and endorsed by ACC [PoolSafe]," Mr Easthope said.

Although the recommended standard was not a legally-based standard, and there was no liability for breaching it, it was the standard the council and community board would be "measured against" should something go wrong, he said.

Ignoring it was too high a risk.

"I have to say though, I am very impressed by the pool committee. It's an exemplary model of the way a community pool should operate - other than having no supervision."

The committee was unable to provide supervision because it was difficult to find enough volunteers throughout summer, baths committee chairman Brian Abercrombie said.

He asked if there was any way the council could provide pool supervisors.

In a letter to the board, the committee said the pool was a major focus in the Millers Flat community.

It was built in the mid-1950s as a war memorial and "to keep people away from swimming in the Clutha River".

The community took pride in the facility and the key-holder system worked well.

"The system we operate is not broken, so why fix it?" The board resolved to work with the committee to prepare an acceptable management contract between the committee and the council for the operation of the pool.

Board chairman Stephen Jeffery said the council could not ignore the liability issue but would do everything it could to assist the committee.

lynda.van.kempen@odt.co.nz

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