Stratford’s new swimming pool in the deep end of rates funding
Stratford residents are rightly proud of their new $22 million swimming pool, but it’s a community asset that doesn’t come cheap.
For every $100 of rates spent, $13.46 goes to the swimming pool complex. And of the 15.5% rates increase, 3.2% is down to the pool.
The Stratford District Council is working on its long-term plan and prioritising the outcomes it wants for the district.
Roads, water, earthquake strengthening buildings and demolishing the TSB complex are major items the council is asking residents to have their say on.
Though the new $22m Wai o Rua Aquatic Centre had 86,933 visitors for the 2023/24 year to the end of February, user charges covered just 10% to 25% of the cost of running the pool with the rest being topped up by council.
By comparison, in South Taranaki, for every $100 of rates spent, $2.35 goes on the Hāwera Aquatic Centre. User charges cover 18% of running costs.
In New Plymouth, user charges cover 44% of the cost of the Todd Aquatic Centre, while 3% is covered by sponsorship.
It is not uncommon for user charges to not cover the cost of running community facilities, Stratford District Council chief executive Sven Hanne said.
“Libraries, playgrounds, sports grounds
“Libraries, playgrounds, sports grounds and swimming pools are key to making sure communities are places you want to live and work in, but they do not pay their own way, which is why they are publicly funded facilities.”
Sven Hanne
Stratford District Council chief executive
and swimming pools are key to making sure communities are places you want to live and work in, but they do not pay their own way, which is why they are publicly funded facilities.”
The council is continuously looking for ways to run the aquatic centre more efficiently, he said.
“But the reality is that a large part of the costs are fixed costs, such as depreciation and insurance. We are also continuously reviewing our offering to the community to maximise revenue and ensure that it benefits as many ratepayers as possible.”
Other aspects of the long-term plan include roading, which is listed as a priority for the next three years. The district has 64km of footpaths and 613km of roads and looking after them takes up 22.45% of every $100 of rates money spent.
Demolishing the old TSB pool complex and returning the area in King Edward Park back to green space is also included, at a cost $430,000.
A $1.4m upgrade of the town centre is proposed for the first three years of the plan and includes improvements to Prospero Place and Broadway.
And earthquake strengthening of the TET Multi Sport Centre is proposed for year three of the plan.
The work would bring it up to a standard that it could be used as Civil Defence Centre. This would cost an estimated $1.3m.
Submissions on the plan close on May 1. Submissions will heard at public meeting on May 15. The plan will be adopted at a council meeting on June 30.