Levin pool ready for holiday fun

Levin’s revamped aquatic centre re-opened with a community fun day on Saturday, just in time for the school holidays.

The centre has undergone a $1.68 million makeover during the winter, since the doors were closed in May.

It includes a complete re-work of the ground-floor area with renovated toilets, showers and lockers, and an upgraded lobby, reception area, shop and offices.

The existing covered area on the north side was upgraded to include a conservatory with large sliding doors leading to a landscaped outdoor space.

There is new tiered spectator seating, and a social and storage space has been extended.

A new hydrotherapy pool and conservatory have replaced two old spa pools.

It was designed to provide what council aquatics manager James Richmond said would be a ‘‘pleasant, warm, and light’’ environment for users, including those who needed extra assistance.

The community waited 10 years for a new hydrotherapy pool to replace one at Horowhenua Hospital that was closed along with the hospital in 2006.

The 8 metre by 3m pool would be used by a range of people, including those undergoing rehabilitation and sports people recovering from injury.

The filtration and chlorine systems serving the centre’s three swimming pools were upgraded to provide better operating efficiency, with potential to save $100,000 a year in costs.

After a day of family-friendly activities on Saturday, including play with pool inflatables, a bouncy castle, face painting, dancing, a sausage sizzle and giveaways, the pool closed again to the public on Sunday, when the centre hosted a canoe polo event.

A school holiday programme gets underway on Monday.

With the centre work complete, the Horowhenua District Council will turn its attention to the Foxton Pools, which had remained open over winter and hosted swimming school classes while the Levin centre was closed.