Future of pool may lie with Sport Northland

Te Papawai Community Pool may soon be owned by Sport Northland instead of Bay of Islands College. Photo / FNDC

Sport Northland may end up owning Kawakawa's indoor pool and gym in a deal backers say will ensure the facility's long-term future.

The Bay of Islands Recreation Centre - which includes the Te Papawai Community Pool, a squash court and weights room - is owned by Bay of Islands College.

But, the decile-1 school gets no funding for it from the Ministry of Education, so maintenance costs eat into the school's already-stretched budget.

A few years ago the pool looked doomed to shut down until the community stepped in and carried out a much-needed revamp.

A steering group set up last year to find a long-term solution is now proposing that Sport Northland take over the facility.

The Far North District Council could continue to subsidise its operating costs using a targeted rate of $5 a year collected from the Kawakawa area.

Last week the college, council and Sport Northland signed an agreement proposing:

- The college sells the centre to Sport Northland for $1, with ministry approval.

- Sport Northland leases the land from the ministry for $1 a year.

- Sport Northland runs the centre as a community facility in return for an operating grant from the council.

- The college pays Sport Northland for use of the centre during school hours.

Sport Northland boss Brent Eastwood said the proposed ownership and governance model was a good fit with his organisation's new strategic plan.

"If Sport Northland can contribute to this facility being sustainable into the future, then we're happy to be involved," he said.

The Kawakawa community had proven its desire to keep the centre open by repairing and revamping the buildings. That voluntary work, combined with support from the council, could result in a sustainable operating model for the centre.

Last week's agreement was only the first step towards a final ownership and governance model, but all involved would do their utmost to get it across the line, he said.

Mayor John Carter said he was pleased the three organisations had been able to come up with a workable plan to save the facility, used by 38,000 people last year.

He also thanked everyone involved in repairing and redecorating the pool, including community members, schoolchildren, prison inmates and especially Richard Duley, who drove the volunteer project.

CBEC will continue to operate the pool.

The Bay of Islands Recreation Centre, formerly the ASB Recreation Centre, was built by the community on Ministry land at Bay of Islands College in the 1990s, though the pool was built as an uncovered facility in the 1970s.

The centre was run by a community trust until it was wound up in 2004.