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A $10 million swimming pool for Avondale is shaping up as a hot issue at the upcoming Avondale-Roskill council byelection.
City Vision says the ruling right-wing ticket, Citizens & Ratepayers (C&R), has shown it does not care for the community by voting in December to axe plans for a pool.
The left-wing ticket is promising to keep pushing for the pool it put in the council's 10-year plan during the last term of council. C&R says it has only voted to put the project on hold for one year, but is not making a commitment to build a pool in future.
The byelection has come about after the death of C&R councillor Linda Leighton in November. C&R won all four seats in Avondale-Roskill at the October local body elections.
The working-class ward has traditionally been a stronghold for C&R, thanks to a strong Bible belt vote and the political family dynasties of Hay and Raffills.
On Tuesday, the Avondale community board called on the council to reinstate the swimming pool in the 10-year plan. C&R members on the board, including councillor and deputy mayor David Hay, abstained from voting on the grounds the project had only been delayed for one year.
Mr Hay yesterday said C&R's policy at the byelection was "working towards getting a pool for Avondale". It was a question of time, affordability and the impact on rates.
The new C&R council has taken the knife to capital projects to hold next year's rates to 4.8 per cent, which is the council's rate of inflation.
Strong lobbying by Tamaki-Maungakiekie councillor Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga has persuaded his C&R colleagues to proceed with a new pool for Otahuhu.
City Vision Avondale community board member Catherine Farmer said reports had shown a critical need for a swimming pool in Avondale, especially since the area was earmarked for growth because of more intensive housing.
"Unfortunately, our recently elected C&R city councillors have sent a clear message that Avondale people don't matter," she said.
City Vision and C&R have yet to select candidates for the byelection. Nominations close on February 19.
