Waterworld do-up has $13.3m price tag
The price to revamp Hamilton’s 40-year-old pool complex could reach $13.3 million.
Te Rapa Waterworld was built in 1976 and its filter system, floor and pipes are at risk of clapping out, a November 2015 report revealed.
Hamilton City Council staffers say they’ve found extra costs and complications in their investigations since the assessment.
The mayor threw a curve ball at a briefing by suggesting council put the revamp on hold and build a $6m freestanding pool instead.
But community and services chairwoman Paula Southgate said council needs to get cracking on a full fix.
The upgrade would take about six months and give Waterworld another 20 to 30 years of life, council acting community development and leisure manager Debbie Lascelles said.
‘‘[Waterworld] is 40 years old ... We haven’t really spent any money on this,’’ Lascelles said.
‘‘Within the first six weeks of the project, we started to find out this was going to be a lot more complex than we originally thought.’’
The upgrade project started with an approved $2.9m budget in February 2016.
But often one thing led to another - such as creative engineering required to avoid digging up asbestos pipes. There were also opportunities for improvements or to combine projects.
Council has a tender for $8.2m, but seismic work is expected to add $2.7m to the bill.
Staff suggest seismic work be done at the same time to avoid closing Waterworld twice, and have included a larger-than-usual contingency fund in the $13.3m estimate for the project because of the building’s age.
It won’t produce a shiny new building, Lascelles said - that would cost at least $60m.
King wanted council to keep its hands off until 2029, when earthquake strengthening regulations kick in.
Instead, council should build a standalone 25mx25m square pool on the Waterworld site, he said, at a cost of about $6m.
It would provide more space for lane swimmers and cater for water polo players, and could provide swim space if equipment failed at the existing pool.
The existing pipes and filtration system wouldn’t hold until 2029, Lascelles responded.
Council staff are going to bring information on four options for Waterworld to councillors in August.
They are: Give all the work the go-ahead; approve the upgrade now and consider seismic work under the long-term plan; make all the decisions through the longterm plan; or the mayor’s option of a 25mx25m square pool.