Council may back-flip on pool

A new swimming pool may be back on the cards for west Auckland.

But Avondale residents should not expect Auckland Council to dive into the project in the short term, Ross Clow councillor of the Whau Ward said.

In 2016 more than 1,000 people took part in an online survey carried out by Auckland Council that found 40 per cent of the respondents wanted a new aquatic centre in west Auckland.

Auckland Council said the ‘‘optimal location’’ for the pool would be in New Lynn and there was no budget for an aquatic facility in Avondale.

But Clow said the land was becoming too expensive in council’s preferred suburb.

‘‘Avondale does come back in to the mix as being a site but we all know in effect the only real place for a pool in Avondale is actually the race course.’’

The Whau area does not have a swimming pool and west Auckland’s only council-owned aquatic centre, West Wave Pool and Leisure Centre, struggled to cope with up to half a million visitors per year.

The Whau Local Board had $11.6 million in the long term plan for community facilities in the board’s area of New Lynn, Green Bay, Kelston, Rosebank, Avondale, New Windsor and Rosebank.

Just over $5m had been allocated for replacing Avondale Community Centre in Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan 2012-2022. A further $6.6m had been earmarked for ‘‘leisure needs’’. The upgrade of the Avondale Community Centre would see it becoming a multipurpose community facility with space for basketball, table tennis and badminton.

Auckland Council said the design, facilities and features of the facility were not known.

Clow said the multipurpose community space idea was similar to what had been done in Otahuhu.

The Otahuhu recreation precinct cost $30.9 million and opened on Mason Ave in 2015. Otahuhu had a new 25- metre indoor pool which included a teaching pool, water features, bombing pool, outdoor water splash pad and spa, sauna and steam-room.

‘‘They have a new pool but the library is part of the complex,’’ Clow said.

However, Clow said no changes were planned for the Avondale Library.

He said if there was a ‘‘radical change onto a new site’’ there was the possibility of at least planning for a new library if not building a new one.

The Henderson-Massey Local Board is also advocating for a new pool in Massey.