Loss for Comet and Kiwa

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Opinion

When decisions are made there will always be questions raised.

The GDC staff and an outside consultant made the call to appoint an Australian-based operation to deliver learn-to-swim lessons at the new Kiwa Pools.

Perhaps their tender was more appealing on the face of it. However, when the GDC establishes direct competition with a local sports club that has delivered aquatic programmes to our communities for 65 years, you have to question this.

So now there is a situation where the appointed provider will compete with Comet Swim Club.

Yes, Comet will take a hit; however Kiwa Pools will be the loser as the new provider will only attract a percentage of the potential market.  Appointing the local club would have ensured 100 percent of their customers would transfer over. Did the GDC decision-makers consider this?

I question if the GDC have made the best long-term decision and am very disappointed to see the council’s lack of support for a local organisation which employs 16 local staff.

Greg Meade