Yesterday the committee was asked to approve a recommendation to provide space for both the public, and training, by extending public hours and allocating two lanes for public use.
The council is developing a business case on the Aquatic Centre's expansion to be presented to council next month, which is expected to include options for additional space.
In the interim however, these stop-gap changes were expected to have a net cost of $42,450 per annum. The bulk of this would come from costs for term-time changes of $37,650 per annum.
Although councillors noted the situation had reached a "pinch-point", some questioned the timing of these changes given the current training set-up had been in place for nearly a decade, and the potential development of a new pool.
Rather than adopt these changes, councillor Graeme Taylor said he felt the council could maintain the status quo given "we've put up with it for eight or nine years, and we now have an aquatic strategy and an ongoing plan".
Given this context, councillor Claire Hague questioned whether the changes were "ad hoc" which would cost council money, not fix public dissatisfaction, and annoy the Aquahawks - a "key stakeholder".
Director city services Antoinette Campbell said this proposal was "certainly not ad hoc" but arose from the findings of the Napier Aquatics Strategy, which had only been adopted in 2015.
"At the moment the public are really demanding that space and are starting to get very vocal about it, so I think now is the time," she said.
It was resolved the decision would not be tabled until the February 22 council meeting so further advice could be provided - including on the possibility of a trial period.
At yesterday's meeting Aquahawks chairman Trevor Adsett also spoke against the proposed changes - citing the impact this would have on the club, including a potential loss in membership.
Proposed changes meant from May the centre would be open to the public between 3pm and 7pm during the school term, from 9am on Saturdays, and 10am Sundays and public holidays.
An estimated $70,000 of lost income would be incurred by "shifting the lanes from comparatively higher revenue activities to casual use". This would be partially offset by estimated casual use revenue of $17,600, and savings "from a reduction in swim instructors" resulting in an extra $13,000 per annum.
Changes to weekend operating hours would have a net cost of $4800 - with additional staff costs of $12,000 partially offset by revenue from casual use, of $7200.
Yesterday the committee also approved the first step in the proposed expansion of Onekawa Park's Omni Gymnastic Centre - permitting the club to progress to the resource consent application stage.