A Northland community is planning to turn its public pool into a facility so unique no council will dare try to close it down.
Earlier this year Sport New Zealand and the Far North District Council commissioned an independent expert to come up with a plan for the district's pools in response to demands for new facilities in Kaitaia and Kerikeri.
One of the report's recommendations was to close the 25m indoor pool at Bay of Islands College in Kawakawa.
Although not official council policy, the report sparked a furore and prompted townsfolk to band together to save the pool.
Residents led by Business Association chairman Richard Duley had already been planning a town transformation project so he decided it was worth putting energy into revitalising the pool.
They are working with Australian urban design guru David Engwicht, who inspired the recent makeovers of Paihia's waterfront, toilets and Village Green.
Mr Duley said a four-hour brainstorming session with Mr Engwicht and about 40 residents late last month came up with a list of eight pool-related projects. They included better signage, entry archways, painting the exterior and creating a "mythical water creature" on the roof. A family picnic area would be built outside and an uninviting barbed wire fence would be taken down. The group also had exciting plans for the building's interior.
Mr Duley said they would work with council engineers to make sure any required maintenance was carried out.
"If we can create something cool and different, hopefully that means no one will try to close it down in future.
The mayor has said it won't close but if we don't do something and get it up to scratch it might still close in five years' time," he said.
The project would be modelled on Focus Paihia's strategy of getting the community to do much of the work.
"We're not looking for someone to write out a blank cheque, though that would be nice."
*The group is looking for materials and help of any sort, especially from builders, painters, plasterers, artists, gardeners and labourers.
Call Mr Duley at Kawakawa Farm Centre on (09) 404 0043.