Centennial Pool, located on a sacred burial ground, will close soon and four alternative options have been tabled - the most expensive would cost up to $77 million.
Thames-Coromandel District Council consulted the community on the four options and was swamped with responses: A total of 1472 people gave feedback online.
Submissions closed on May 6.
The council said it was now working through the responses which would form part of a business case alongside a risk assessment, detailed financial analysis and modelling on how the facility could be funded.
All data would be analysed and made public after being presented to the Thames Community Board in July.
The council said Centennial Pool has reached the end of its useful life, and wasn’t fit-for-purpose, neither for current nor future community needs.
It said it would eventually remove the pool facilities and return the land to Ngāti Maru after it was acknowledged that the pool was located on an urupa, an ancient burial site.
The council agreed to return the land to Ngāti Maru by 2027.
Initial investigations of alternative site options for the pool launched in 2017.
A new sub-regional aquatic facility with a mix of indoor pools in Kopu south with an estimated build cost up to $77 million.
A feasibility study completed in February this year showed the current aquatic network across the Coromandel was dominated by ageing outdoor pools.
The study said there was also an under-supply of quality learn-to-swim, hydrotherapy and leisure water facilities across the catchment.
The council tabled four options for replacing Centennial Pool.
A new local aquatic facility with all indoor pools on Thames High School grounds – estimated build cost up to $42.5 million.
A new local aquatic facility with a mix of indoor pools and an outdoor pool on Thames High School grounds – estimated build cost up to $36.5 million.
A new sub-regional aquatic facility with a bigger mix of indoor pools in Kopu south – estimated build cost up to $77 million.
Or building no new pool and only removing the facilities and restoring Taipari Park which would cost up to $550,000.
A new local aquatic facility with a mix of indoor pools and an outdoor pool on Thames High School grounds – estimated build cost up to $36.5 million.
The council said Thames High School was identified as the best site for a Thames-focused facility, due to the school’s central location, easy accessibility, high visibility, good transport connections and relatively good ground conditions.
It was identified as the lowest capital cost option among other potential sites for a local facility.
The feasibility study showed staff from the school and Ministry of Education had shown support for locating an aquatic facility there.
The school site also had the least technical issues such as risk of flooding or liquefaction, problems with topography, zoning and access to infrastructure such as stormwater and wastewater.
