Campaign to bring back swimming pool

Ashburton resident Tina Cox is calling for support to reopen the Tinwald Pool or to get a smaller pool installed at the site.

The longtime pool campaigner is seeking others passionate about the cause after the Tinwald Reserve Board pursuing alternative options at the Tinwald Domain site.

The reserve board is calling for ideas for an inexpensive redevelopment of the site after the pool shut permanently earlier this year.

• Town's only public pool to shut in January

A post on the district council Facebook page about the reserve board consultation last week saw more than 85 people commenting, mostly wanting the pool back.

‘‘The reserve board could redevelop the swimming pool site with, hmmm I know! A swimming pool, that everyone wants,’’ said one commenter.

‘‘As you can see everyone wants the pool to stay!’’ said another.

Cox, who organised a petition earlier this year calling for the pool to stay open, said she was not willing to let the issue go.

‘‘Because the majority of submissions (to the Long Term Plan) were in favour of keeping the pool,’’ Cox said.

The LTP consultation earlier this year saw 32 per cent of 1500 submitters wanting the pool saved, while 29 per cent instead chose an alternative option of an outdoor pool built at EA Networks Centre. Remaining results were 18 per cent – hydroslide at EA Networks Centre, 9 per cent – do nothing and 6 per cent – build a waterplay area at the Ashburton Domain.

The district council in May went with the do nothing option, which by default permanently shut the pool.

Cox said due to personal reasons she had not been able to pursue the issue in depth, but now hoped to get others on board.

There were a few commenters to the district council’s post who had other ideas besides bringing back the pool. Their ideas included creating a fun water park, building a huge fountain with lights for night time paddling with a barbecue area, and building a skateboard park.

The post did not mention a budget.

Chair and district councillor Leen Braam clarified to The Ashburton Courier the budget range was in the tens of thousands of dollars. It was not up to $3 million, which is what would be required to bring back the pool.

Even installing a smaller swimming pool was not realistic, as this would require professional lifeguard input.

‘‘Don’t think pool, think outside the pool,’’ Braam said.

The reserve board is asking individuals and community groups to draw their relatively low-cost re-development ideas of the former pool site on an outline map by October 18.

The map is available online at ashburtondc.govt.nz/?a=99757 and hard copy at the district council, Te Whare Whakatere, Baring Square East.

* If you want to help Tina Cox bring back a Tinwald swimming pool, email her at coxfam5158@gmail.com