New heat pump keeps pool going
The Kawakawa pool will soon be up and running again, after a cash injection of $60,000 to replace a broken heat pump.
The Far North District Council and Kawakawa Business and Community Association will stump up the funds at Te Papawai Bay of Islands Community Pool.
The heat pump – one of two heating the pool – stopped working several weeks ago at the facility, which is the district’s only council-operated public heated pool. This has seen many regular pool users, especially the elderly and children learning to swim, stop using it.
The business association will contribute $5000, another $5000 will come from the mayoral fund and the council will pay the balance.
Council chief executive Shaun Clarke says finding a solution was not straightforward because the pool is owned by Bay of Islands College, while the land is owned by the Ministry of Education. Neither organisation had funds for a new heat pump.
‘‘Even though the council does not own the pool, we know how important this facility is to Kawakawa and the wider community with people from Moerewa, Opua, Paihia and even further afield regularly using it.
‘‘I want to thank all stakeholders who worked with council to help us keep this popular facility open.’’
The new pump should be installed in about a month.