Hastings: Splash Planet summer fun hangs in the balance

Will Splash Planet make a splash in the Hawke's Bay economy this year? Councillors yet to decide. Photo / Paul Taylor

Hastings District Council has refused to take a dive that could close Splash Planet for the summer and give them an unprecedented opportunity to renovate the facility.

Council officers have raised doubts about whether the tourist drawcard could operate to its full potential in alert level 2, and have tabled the possibility of not opening it at all over summer.

Splash Planet employs roughly 85 staff and has thousands of visitors every season.

At present, if Hawke's Bay moves into alert level 1, council planners suggest Splash Planet could open in just over two months on November 16.

But with Covid cases in the Mt Roskill mini-cluster threatening a Government delay to alert level 1, and even a possible spike in cases, much remains up in the air.

At a council Strategy and Policy Committee Meeting on Thursday, councillors were told to discuss two options - plan to open Splash Planet as normal, or not open at all for the 2020/21 season.

After lengthy discussions, a majority voted to table the discussion until a council meeting next Tuesday when there would be more clarity around alert levels.

Councillor Geraldine Travers said there was no reason why a decision could not wait until the Government's decision around Covid-19 alert levels.

She stated there was no rationale for making the decision on Thursday.

"I simply cannot make the decision today."

Travers said both the advantages and disadvantages of opening or not were presented to the councillors, who wanted several issues addressed including staff expenditure and profit or loss.

Councillor Damon Harvey also voiced his opinion of wanting to delay the decision until Covid alert levels were decided next week.

"We'll have more certainty on Monday," he said.

Council officers said the advantage of the council planning to open Splash Planet would be a reassurance for the seasonal staff and the possibility of a "bumper season" of domestic tourism if Hawke's Bay moved in alert level 1 and stayed that way all summer.

But there are significant pitfalls too: The season could be suspended or terminated early under alert level 2, forcing the council to continue to pay seasonal staff salaries under the terms of their employment agreement.

There could also be increased costs and logistical challenges of adhering to alert level guidelines that could make the facility less desirable to visit and have fewer people attending.

Council officers said not opening Splash Planet for the 2020/ 21 season would reduce operating expenditure – wages, salaries, fuel, electricity, and allow redeploying permanent staff to other areas as required.

It could also be an opportunity to carry out significant maintenance and potential capital works on the site, they said.

However this would result in a loss of revenue and could be a potential hit for the facility's reputation. The council adjourned the discussion until September 15.