The pool will be closed for eight to 10 weeks from the end of April next year.
The pool will be closed for eight to 10 weeks from the end of April next year.
The main 25m pool at Whanganui’s Splash Centre will close for eight to 10 weeks next year, with competitive swimmers facing a trip to Feilding or Palmerston North to get their laps in.
Work to retile and resurface the Splash Centre pool begins at the end of April.
A report from Whanganui District Council aquatic service manager Lucy Thompson said while it would have a significant impact on service, the surfacing solution would last 12 to 15 years.
At present, the pool is repainted every four years.
He said negotiations with the council had started for limited lane time in the shallower 25m pool on the other side of the Splash Centre.
Swimmers would also focus on land-based training, possibly at the Whanganui Girls’ College gym.
“We would be keen to hear from members of the community who have private swimming pools that are 20-25m long,” Bunker said.
“Swimming is an all-year-round sport these days, but we will try and bring in the kids’ two-week [training] break over that period - directly after nationals.
“Potentially, we will also look at travelling to Feilding [Makino Aquatic Centre] or Palmerston North [Lido Aquatic Centre] on a Saturday morning if we can get pool space.”
He said having an indoor 50m pool in Whanganui would draw swimmers from around the North Island, especially as the club had renowned coach Richard Gheel.
Gheel, in Whanganui since 2019, swam for Northern Ireland at three Commonwealth Games (1986, 1990 and 1994) and Ireland at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games.
Whanganui District Council aquatic service manager Lucy Thompson.
“New Plymouth has an outdoor 50m, Hāwera has an outdoor 50m and Palmerston North has an outdoor 50m,” Bunker said.
“Marton has a 50m pool, but what’s the shelf life on that? Rangitīkei District Council is probably looking into it at the moment.”
He said other than Marton, the closest indoor 50m pools were hours away in Wellington and Hawke’s Bay.
“The main pool there is 25m wide and that can be set up into three different areas. You could have learn-to-swim classes going on at the same time as squad training and water polo,” Bunker said.
Thompson’s report said mobility hoists scheduled for installation at the Splash Centre in the 2026/27 financial year had been put in ahead of time after a $40,000 donation from Rotary Whanganui.
They supported a 70kg greater weight limit (up to 200kg) than the current hoists, operating without relying on water pressure, and providing accessible entry to two more pools in the facility.
Additional CCTV had been installed, getting rid of “black spots, including around hazards such as chlorine [storage areas]”.
Installation of RFID (radio-frequency identification) gates at the facility’s entry and into its gym was scheduled for the start of 2025.
That would enable customers to self-manage entry if they had passes or memberships and provide more accurate tracking of user numbers, the report said.
“Entry will be restricted if there are unpaid debts/debits, allowing for conversations to be had earlier.”
Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present, his focus is local government, primarily Whanganui District Council.
