A new eight-lane lap pool and learners' pool at Wanaka's Three Parks subdivision is the public's preference for upgraded swimming facilities in the town.
The Queenstown Lakes District Council received 470 submissions on its Wanaka pool consultation, which had proposed nine options across three locations - Three Parks, Northlake or the existing Plantation Rd site.
Asked if they were willing to pay $3.06 extra a year in rates for the current pool to remain open as is, 54.3% of submitters said yes, 26% said no and the rest were neutral.
The council's favoured upgrade option - an eight-lane lap pool and learners pool next to the new sports facility at Three Parks, requiring an extra $184 in rates a year - was also favoured by 53.9% of submitters, while just 3.6% wanted a six-lane option.
Upgrading the Plantation Rd site to a six-lane lap pool and learners pool for $207 extra a year in rates was favoured by 5.2% of submitters, while 6.7% would pay an extra $229 for an eight-lane lap pool and learners pool at the site.
Council-leased or owned, six- or eight-lane lap and learners' pool options at Northlake, ranging from $178 to $240 extra in yearly rates, were supported by a total of 2.8% of submitters.
Twenty-four percent of respondents were unwilling to pay more for a new pool and learners pool.
A new swimming facility by the end of 2016 was preferred by 70.7% of submitters.
Nearly the same percentage of people agreed with proposed new pool user charges of $8 per adult and $3 per child.
Alan Cutler, who favoured the existing pool site, criticised the submission form's ''manipulated survey format'' which appeared ''loaded to assist the council agenda'' for a Three Parks pool.
Chris Meehan, of Northlake Developments, also considered the consultation documentation ''misleading and biased''.
The council was portraying the rates increase as greater with the Northlake option.
However, Northlake was cheaper from a ''debt service/financing perspective'', Mr Meehan said.
Many submitters preferred Northlake based on its purported savings to ratepayers.
But the council's online ''frequently asked questions'' section of the pool consultation says Northlake's ability to provide a pool at no cost to ratepayers refers only to the small lap pool required under its resource consent conditions, not the six- or eight-lane 25m lap pool needed by the community.
At present, a pool at Northlake would either require more public money to meet minimum standards, or be in addition to a pool elsewhere, the council website states.
Alexander Todd asked why the council was looking at buying or leasing land when there was sufficient room at the already council-owned Scurr Heights or Kellys Flat sites to upgrade the existing facility.
Three Parks developer Allan Dippie urged the council to investigate ways to fund the new pool to reduce the impact on rates, including selling surplus land assets. Others called for money to be sourced from grants or fundraising efforts.
Brian Kane said the sports facility should be running successfully before the ''burden of cost'' was imposed on Wanaka ratepayers.
With a Plantation Rd pool upgrade, Oakridge Resort's pool, a new public pool at Northlake and community pools at Far Horizon, Peninsula Bay and Riverside Park, swimming options were already well catered for. Population growth in the next five to 10 years could make the Three Parks option more affordable, Mr Kane said.
Jane Forsyth said it would be cheaper to ''buy every man, woman and child in Wanaka/Hawea a wetsuit than any of these new pools''.
Dr Andrew McLeod said integrating the pool with other sporting facilities at Three Parks would enhance the town's role as a centre for high-performance athletes.
Many submitters said any new pool should be 50m in length to host large swimming meets and elite athletes.
A hearing on submissions will be held in Wanaka on December 8 and 9.
