Public glimpse at progress to reopen Napier pool

The trust is a group of parents, residents, and community members including Taradale Primary principal Marty Hantz (left), Charlie Dragen, trust chairman Brendon Rope (right). Photo / Warren Buckland

The community that rallied after the closure of Taradale's only community pool can get a glimpse at the progress being made to open a new, structurally sound swimming facility at a public meeting this weekend.

In December 2016 the doors shut on the Greendale Pool at Taradale Primary School - affecting 3000 children and adults who took part in learn-to-swim programmes every year, the Greendale Swim Club, and placing Napier's other pools under pressure.

Instead of accepting the closure, for over a year the Taradale Community Pool Trust has been hard at work, and in December it presented a Pool Reopening Business Case to the Ministry of Education (MoE).

Not ones to sit around and wait, the trust continued to work on the project plans, lining up the project supporters and suppliers and initiating fundraising.

To keep the local community informed a public meeting is being held to share the progress, and plans for the project should the ministry give it the go ahead.

"It is vital to this project to ensure the community is informed and still support the work being done. We want to share our plans and hear from our community. The public meeting is a great forum to do this," trust chairman Brendon Rope said.

"We have had amazing support to date and invite all interested parties to attend."

The trust has developed a proposed solution to the structural issues, a plan to secure funding and resources, and a long-term sustainable management programme.

As well as informing the community about these plans, Mr Rope said the trust hoped to gather support so if MoE approval is received work can get under way immediately.

The plan is to remove the roof and steel frame of the pool building and replace it with better protected and structurally sound versions - with other ideas for the facility in the pipeline.

The total reopening cost was estimated at $550,000, but it is thought this could be brought down with local businesses committed to providing materials and services at reduced rates, or to do work pro-bono.

Subject to the ministry's approval, the trust would manage the asset and contract an operator to manage the day-to-day running of the pool.

The trust was confident its financial target would be reached well before the project gets the go-ahead, with a "significant" level of financial support already offered.

- The meeting is to be held in the Taradale Primary School Hall, 10 Church Rd, Taradale, at 4pm on Sunday, March 11.