Mount Hot Pools forced to close

Mount Maunganui's hot pools, which attract more than 200,000 swimmers a year, was closed today for emergency repair work and is not expected to reopen for several weeks.
The work involves digging up a section of the concrete concourse between the passive and learners' pools and follows huge controversy about water temperatures.
Two pools were closed on Monday this week while testing was done to find out why the pools were colder than they were meant to be.
But Tauranga City Aquatics Limited chief executive Tania Delahunty told the Bay of Plenty Times the problem with water temperatures had been traced to a leak in the system.
So much was being lost each day that the heat exchanger had struggled to cope.
"We don't know the cause of the leak, it could be from an event or could be from stress or fatigue, but it's well below the concrete surface and until we excavate we're not entirely sure."
Ms Delahunty said the pools were built in 1989 and TCAL proposed a redevelopment in 2006 to repair and replace the pipes. "Obviously we don't want to rip up the concrete every five years to check on the pipes but we addressed it back in 2006 the pipes needed some work."
Ms Delahunty said the closure of the hot pools would be a slight disruption for its customers however it would be beneficial in the long run.
"This morning we're meeting with expert advisers and they'll be having a look around while the ground's open and while they're doing that we can mitigate any potential future closures by looking at our future plans and seeing where we can go from here."
The testing comes after a campaign to get the temperatures up which culminated with a meeting at the pools earlier this week.
Local resident Kevin Akroyd, who has led the campaign, was excited with the results of the meeting. While he said it was unfortunate the pool would have to close, he was pleased work was being done to fix the problem.
"It's been two and a half years I've been telling them something's up and I've been told I was moaning... but now I'm very pleased with how it's all gone and I'm pleased something's finally being done about it."
"The pool organisers have put a Band-Aid over the problem for years and now they realised something has to be done but this is a fantastic outcome and I'm very excited about it."
Mr Akroyd said he would be back to the pools once the renovations were complete.
"Unfortunately the place will be closed for a month or so but it will be all worth it and of course we'll be back."
Ms Delahunty said it was not known exactly how long the pools will be closed for but it would be at least several weeks.
About 212,000 people use the Mount Hot Pool facility every year. The busy period was between December and February, so this was the "off season", Ms Delahunty said.