Mount Hot Pools to reopen after 10-week closure

The Mount Hot Pools are set to reopen just in time for Easter.

From midday today the pool's doors will open after being closed for 10 weeks.

The scheduled closure for remedial and maintenance work was timed so that the facility reopens in time for the Easter long weekend and April school holidays.

"We are pleased to have been able to stick to a tight 10-week timeframe to undertake what was essentially 15 weeks' worth of work," Mount Hot Pools manager Matthew Strange said.

"The contractors worked really hard to ensure we could re-open as soon as possible."

Planned maintenance to the pools, plant room and bore pump has been completed, which required the hot pools' operating system to be off and the pools emptied for an extended period.

During the closure, new non-slip flooring was introduced to mitigate the number of slipping incidents that take place in aquatic environments.

Underground pipes were also replaced during the closure, following the discovery of leaks in late 2020 due to incorrect substrate being used prior to Bay Venues' management.

The lengthy process of replacing the pipes had to be remedied quickly to address water loss and keep the pools hot in winter - due to complying with geothermal bore pool heating resource consent thresholds.

This unplanned addition means there is still some work to be done following the April 1 reopening in the spa pool area.

Along with the essential maintenance work the Mount Hot Pools facade has also had a revitalisation, to align the external appearance of this iconic facility with its reputation as a top Mount Maunganui destination.

The new facade includes illuminated signage to increase visibility, seating for passing visitors, a digital sign to communicate to passers-by and a new lick of paint.

Bay Venues Ltd, the caretaker of the Mount Hot Pools, is also discussing the creation of a pou with mana whenua to acknowledge the cultural significance of the land on which the facility resides.

Scheduled maintenance closures take place approximately every three to four years at the Mount Hot Pools, and other Bay Venues' aquatic facilities, to ensure the proper upkeep of the facility.

The 2021 closure was scheduled for the Mount Hot Pools quietest time of year, Bay Venues chief executive officer Justine Brennan said.

"While it's a busy time for the Mount, we find most visitors and locals head to the beach rather than soak in the hot pools, so our patronage over this time is over 40 per cent less than the winter months.

"It's the perfect time to close our doors to undertake essential maintenance to ensure we are ready for a busy winter.

"We are the kaitiaki of this facility and it's in the best interest of future visitors that we undertake these scheduled closures to mitigate the risk of unplanned outages. I'm very pleased that the team have been able to complete so much during the closure period and that we can reopen in time for Easter."