Whangamatā swimming pool reopens as refurbishment project balloons to $430k

At the official reopening (from left), pool committee members Graeme Smith, Rod Leversedge, committee chairman Rob Boston and Thames Coromandel deputy mayor Terry Walker.

Whangamatā Community Swimming Pool has finally reopened after delays to the refurbishment project pushed the budget out to $430,000.

The project ran into problems earlier this year after the pool closed in March with renovation work beginning in April.

To allow for the work to be undertaken, the pool was initially set to close for about 10 weeks. Due to additional remedial works, the reopening was delayed until late October, then pushed out to November 26.

Unforeseen circumstances led to a funding shortfall as the refurbishment was originally estimated to cost $250,000 but increased to $300,000 when additional costs arose due to material price increases, extended scaffold hire and external waterproofing of the pool surround.

Whangamatā Community Board then stepped in and agreed to fund the refurbishment project from $64,000 in retained earnings last month.

Whangamatā Community Swimming Pool committee chairman Rob Boston confirmed the project cost $430,000 at its official reopening on Tuesday.

Boston said with any refurbishment or new build there were regrets and what ifs.

“The pool committee has few regrets over the process but does greatly regret the time taken to complete the work and the disruption it has caused to our regular patrons, especially our younger competitive users who have lost significant training and conditioning time.

“It’s not perfect, and like all construction and renovation projects, more money would have helped, having said that, each of us on the committee can be immensely proud of what we have achieved.”

A revamp project of the Whangamatā Community Swimming Pool took longer and cost more than anticipated.

When the pool closed earlier this year, works including draining the pool, surface preparations, and pool interior repainting started.

While remedial work was undertaken the additional costs were revealed.

Works included surface preparations and pool interior repainting.

While it was reported in March that the revamp would cost $250,000, in his chairman’s report for 2023/24, Boston said there were several aspects of the refurbishment that needed to be addressed.

While the pool itself was in sound condition there were several aspects that were addressed including sealing the pool walls from the outside.

Boston thanked multiple funding agencies, contractors, sponsors and the swimming pool committee.

Thames Coromandel district councillor Gary Gotlieb was the first one in the pool at the reopening.

“The public opening of the pool will mark the re-continuation of our journey to construct a purpose built indoor heated learn-to-swim/therapeutic pool, and at the same time replace the ageing water heating solar panels with modern PV solar panels that produce electricity.

“The pool’s management committee vision is that every child in the local environs has the opportunity to learn to swim, that continues to drive us onward.

“This has been a real community effort and with pool opening I know members of the committee are looking forward to shopping, having a beer in the club or standing on the street and not being asked ‘when’s the pool opening?’.”

Whangamatā Community Swimming Pool committee chairman Rob Boston cuts the cake at the reopening.

Whangamatā Area School principal Alistair Luke, speaking at the reopening, said he understood the refurbishment project had been a frustrating process.

“We wondered if it would get to this point, the persistence has been worth it.

“When something is closed you don’t get the same exposure as when the facility is open.”

Luke said the community was lucky to have a public pool that could operate all year round.

In 2022, the pool received a grant of $500,000 from the Thames Coromandel District Council to install heat pumps, upgrade the chlorine gas system and refurbish the pool, with the help of locally targeted rates.

Boston said this had transformed the pool, allowing it to operate year-round and enabling the introduction of Learn to Swim programmes and a range of aquatic activities.

The Whangamatā Community Swimming Pool before undergoing the major makeover.

Thames Coromandel deputy mayor Terry Walker said the pool was a template for localism.

“A local community group put it together, volunteers working tirelessly for nothing.

“We still have work to do, we are looking at all the avenues for funding, not just ratepayers.”

The pool is maintained and managed by a committee of volunteers that also employs a pool manager and lifeguards.

The last time the pool received a revamp was in 2017.

The pool was a community project that started in 1986, when leaks were discovered in the old school pool and a solution was needed.

In 1991 the community came together to build the facility.

The whole community got behind the project and fundraising, with local tradies providing free labour and members of the community bringing down lunches and morning teas.

It costs an estimated $200,000 annually to operate the facility with Whangamatā Swim Club and learn-to-swim classes, all run from the community pool, along with a programme of aquafit and aqua aerobics classes.