Loss of city pool irks swimmers
Christchurch swimming clubs are lamenting the lack of a 50m pool in the city’s rebuild.
The rebuilt QEII aquatic centre will open on Queen’s Birthday weekend but won’t have a 50 metre pool.
Christchurch swimmer James Fleury said it’s extremely difficult to reach the high level of swimming required for the Olympic team without regular training,
‘‘You need qualifying times from a 50 metre pool. They can do the calculations but it’s not accurate enough.’’
Head of Swimming Canterbury West Coast Debbie Rahurahu said she’s disappointed QEII hasn’t been built to the Commonwealth Games standard it once was.
‘‘Not only have they not rebuilt the 50m pool, the main 25m pool will mainly be used recreationally. There is no intention of holding swim meets or competition level swimming at that pool.’’
For seven years Christchurch’s main competition pool has been Jellie Park Recreation and Sports Centre, a facility that holds only 250 people.
Head of Swimming Canterbury West Coast said the lack of facilities played a big part in only two South Islanders being in this year’s 19-strong Commonwealth Games swim team; half the amount of Cantabrian swimmers in the most recent pre-quake Comm Games in 2006.
‘‘For the last eight years, our kids have been trying to do this; they’ve been trying to achieve their goals without any of that stuff [facilities].’’ She said the closest Olympic-sized swimming pool is in Dunedin and that’s where they’ve been forced to hold their major regional events.
‘‘It’s hugely affecting swimming culture here; we can’t even hold our own regional championships in our region.’’
An elite swimming stadium dubbed the ‘Metro Sports Facility’ was supposed to open in 2017 but in November last year the new Labour government terminated the contract with Leighs Cockram Joint Venture. Greater Christchurch Regeneration Minister Megan Woods said there was never any realistic plan to delivering the stadium.
‘‘After seven years all they left us was a patch of dirt and a $75 million budget blowout.’’
The facility will have an Olympic-sized pool and is designed to host national and even international events, and will open in 2021.