Revamped complex in hot demand

This winter is a warmer and happier one than the last at Wanganui's Splash
Centre pool complex.
Last winter the pools' heating system stopped working on days when the temperature was less than  5C, facility manager Tracey Prince said. Staff had the unpleasant job of telling customers the bad news about something that was beyond their control.
And the public was frustrated as well.
"Some people did swim when the water was colder - the regulars and squad swimmers - but casual and elderly people didn't, and it affected our swimming lessons."
The heating problem that bugged the facility on cold days ever since its opening in April 2008 was fixed during the summer.
Ms Prince said numbers using the complex had more than doubled since it was extended and hydroslides, a lazy river, a sauna, cafe, spa and fitness centre were added.
In an average week 3500 swims are taken. The busiest times are after school. There are regular users at 6am every day, and the waiting list for swimming lessons is shorter.
About 10 schools use the pools regularly for the swimming part of physical education, and others use them for special occasions and end-of-year activities.
They are open seven days a week, and 6am to 8pm Monday to Friday.
The complex has also just regained its Pool Safe Accreditation, which had to be renewed after the extensions. Ms Prince said this was a major task, involving new policies to deal with the new facilities, an overhaul of old policies and a process of informing and training staff.
The accreditation inspections only got a day's notice, and inspectors randomly checked details like the staff's current first aid certificates, their knowledge of earthquake procedure and the three- hourly checks on water quality.
The pool is managed by the Community Recreation Services Trust, which employs Ms Prince and more than 50 other full and part-time staff.