Foxton pool
Council weighs options on replacement
Just how much is the Foxton Pool worth to the Foxton community?
The current building over the town baths is rusting and no longer fit for purpose and the community is being asked for feedback on a set of options that range in cost from $9.4 million for a massive overhaul, to $350,000 for its demolition.
Horowhenua District Council has to decide what to do next — upgrade, rebuild or demolish. Its current preferred option is Option Two, which involves a new building with no change to the pools themselves with a price tag of $2.6m.
The demolition option is expected to increase use of the Levin Aquatic Centre, and comes with an expected rates reduction of $12.49.
Late last year HDC asked for community feedback on options ranging from upgrade to closure, and went back to the community for consultation with a more refined set of options ahead of locking in a Long Term Plan for (LTP) the year.
Initial feedback showed that the Foxton Pool was thought of as an important facility for the growing communities of Foxton and Foxton Beach. Of the 504 responses to an HDC survey, 288 people wanted a facility retained, with indoor and outdoor pools.
The pool itself is only 13 years old. The building was constructed in 2012 to cover what was originally an unheated pool. Once it became heated soon after, a high level of moisture in the building structure began to compromise its structural integrity.
The current building has inadequate ventilation which contributed to a damp, humid environment and high levels of condensation. It led to excessive rusting of the plant and equipment, increasing maintenance and replacement costs.
An assessment of the building found it was still structurally safe, but the high condensation and moisture levels had caused the supporting timber structure to absorb moisture.
It was also an unpleasant internal environment for customers and staff — extremely hot in summer with water dripping down from the roof.
OPTION ONE:
■ Cost: $9.4m
■ Demolish and rebuild
■ Extend Building at front for multipurpose room
■ Extend building at rear to include new leisure pool
■ No change to existing pools
■ Add indoor leisure pool
■ Add splashpad and landscaping at rear
■ Upgrade change rooms
Operational changes
■ open 12 months
■ Increase in operating hours: 6am7pm weekdays and 8am-6pm weekends.
■ Expected to increase use of the pool by residents and visitors to Foxton.
OPTION TWO:
■ Cost: $2.6m
■ Demolish and rebuild building
■ No change to pools
■ Upgrade change rooms
■ Restore abandoned outdoor area to grass
Operational change
■ open 12 months
■ Increase in operating hours: 6am7pm weekdays and 8am-6pm weekends.
■ Not expected to change level of use.
OPTION THREE:
■ Cost: $4.4m
■ Demolish existing building
■ Rebuild change rooms
■ Upgrade change rooms
■ existing pools become outdoor heated pools.
■ add outdoor leisure pool.
■ add outdoor splashpad
■ cover toddler pool
■ landscape outdoor area
Operational changes
■ open five months
■ 10am-7pm opening hours
■ one term learn to swim
■ one holiday learn to swim
■ reduce aquacise
OPTION FOUR:
■ Cost $1.9m
■ Demolish existing building
■ Rebuild change room and admin building
■ Upgrade change rooms
■ existing pools become outdoor heated pools
■ cover toddler pool
■ regrass abandoned outdoor area.
Operational changes
■ open 5 months
■ 10am to 7pm opening hours
■ forecast to decrease the number of visitors
■ one term learn to swim
■ one holiday learn to swim
■ reduced aquacise.
OPTION FIVE:
■ Cost: $350,000
■ remove indoor building and pools
■ remove outdoor pools
■ restore grass
Operational changes
■ cease current operations
■ likely increase use of Levin Aquatic Centre.