Waterworld’s seismic pool closure possible
Sooner or later Hamilton’s premier swimming facility is going to close.
Whether Waterworld is going to be closed for earthquake strengthening or a refurbishment will be decided in March.
If its doors are closed for earthquake strengthening, it will be the third Hamilton City Council building since March 2016 closed for safety reasons.
The library was closed in November for seismic strengthening, while Founders Theatre was closed last March over health and safety concerns.
Hamilton City Council’s community general manager Lance Vervoort told a committee meeting this week that a report was coming in March which would determine if the swimming complex was earthquake proof.
An initial assessment had signalled to the council’s engineers that a more in-depth analysis of the building was needed, Vervoort said.
Tuesday’s meeting was the first community and services committee meeting in three years, after the previous council had abolished it.
The committee was told planning was already underway for Waterworld to be closed while a refurbishment was completed.
But, the closure may be brought forward if it requires seismic strengthening.
‘‘We are just ensuring we get everything in the right sequence, and have looked under every rock first,’’ Vervoort said.
Councillors interests were piqued, with several questions for Vervoort.
‘‘That seismic assessment is due quite soon. Quite conceivably if it isn’t flash could we have a closed library and Waterworld at the same time?’’ councillor Geoff Taylor asked.
‘‘Possibly, but I don’t know until I get the report,’’ Vervoort replied.
Councillor Mark Bunting referred to the initiation tours after the 2016 election where they were shown unsafe floors at the swimming complex.
‘‘On our initiation there was a really serious issue with the floor, and it was becoming quite a safety issue, so much so we we’re talking about closing it down to get it fixed. How close to legal is that floor now?’’
Vervoort assured Bunting and the rest of the committee that issues, such as the flooring, had short term cost effective solutions applied like matting being put in place.