On The Up: NZ Community Trust grant to help save Waipureku Clive School pool in Hawke’s Bay

Clive School principal Chris Birch and pupils (from left) Zoë, Ayla and Magnus in the ageing school pool. Photo / Doug Laing

It might sound like a drop in the bucket, but $15,000 from a national gaming proceeds trust is everything for Waipureku Clive School as it tries to protect its ageing swimming pool and stop it from leaking.

The New Zealand Community Trust (NZCT) grant is part of $40,000 raised so far, but the school still needs close to $100,000 more for the fibreglass resurfacing of the cracked concrete and pool upgrade.

The water is clearly at low tide, and the pool is partially emptied for the winter, but it has also been draining slowly through the cracks since the regular sessions of the 2024-2025 summer ended last term.

Clive School principal Chris Birch said the upgrade would cut the maintenance cost, extend the pool’s lifespan, and ensure ongoing access to vital water safety education for students and the community.

The school is close to the river, estuaries and the coastline, and swimming is a way of life in the area. There is an obvious need for people, children in particular, to learn to swim.

Some of the history has been lost in time, but the pool has served that purpose for at least 76 years. It was known to have been in use by 1949, when it was also the community pool before the building of the Clive War Memorial Pool in 1955.

The school, off School Rd, opened in 1879.

Birch, whose school has a Year 1-6 roll of 201, said: “Swimming is not just about sport – it’s also about safety. Every child in our community should feel confident in and around the water.

“Our pool teaches them how to swim safely and enjoy our incredible local environment,” he said. “Fibreglassing means we can keep this learning process happening for the next 30 years, without costly repainting or maintenance shutdowns.

“With growing numbers of children entering the school and national trends showing a decline in basic swimming ability, we see this project as a timely and necessary investment.”

Every class used the pool every day in summer, he said. “This long overdue upgrade is not just about protecting the school’s infrastructure but also ensuring access to lifelong learning.

“It reflects a deep commitment to community leadership and hauora (wellbeing). The upgraded pool will equip our students with the confidence and respect needed to safely navigate the natural waterways that surround them.”

Board of trustees chairman Hamish Hargest said: “We’re so grateful to have the support of NZCT in helping us protect the future of swimming education in our region.”

NZCT general manager of grants, marketing and communications Ben Hodges said the school’s swimming pool was a “real taonga”.

“It provides water safety and fun in equal measure. Grants like this wouldn’t be possible without the responsible gaming partnership we share with the Clive Hotel.”

Funding to date has also come from the school’s board of trustees, the Friends of School association and charitable sources.

Doug Laing is a senior reporter based in Napier with Hawke’s Bay Today, and has 52 years of journalism experience, 42 of them in Hawke’s Bay, in news gathering, including breaking news, sports, local events, issues, and personalities.