Deanna McKay
The passion and drive of the Wanganui community could be the impetus that saves the Wanganui East pool.
And just how determined the community is will be seen at a meeting in Wanganui East tonight, called by the community action group looking for ways and means of saving the pool.
The group was set up after a public meeting last week, called by the Wanganui East Pool Trust, to discuss the future of the pool. The complex is under threat of closure because of its age and the need to replace key equipment.
Okoia School principal Deanna McKay, convener of the action group, said representatives from local schools, the pool trust, district council and the community had been invited to attend the meeting which was open to the public.
It will be held at 5.30pm at St Anne's School hall in Raine St.
Ms McKay said the meeting was the chance for the community to create a plan for the pool that the Wanganui District Council "cannot ignore".
But she said pressure would be on because any submission it came up with had to be with council by May 7.
She said a lot of people said keeping the pool open was warranted.
"It could be that we end up with a viable pool operation or maybe the pool keeps open but perhaps not in its current shape.
"From what I can gather so far there are a number of people who are really keen to give their time, money or efforts to keep the pool open," she said.
Ms McKay said the important thing was to get a short-term plan in place.
"But what our community is asking for is absolute honesty from all the parties involved, including the council and the pool trust, so we know exactly what's right or wrong with the pool. If we want to move forward we have to know exactly what the problems are," she said.
She said it was clear the community, like the pool trust, was behind the push to keep the pool open.
Her school uses the pool and without it would be severely handicapped.
"We have a small pool but it's only useful for children up to Year 4 and 5. Beyond that it doesn't suit our needs."
She said the Splash Centre was too expensive, both in terms of admission costs and the travel involved, and said other schools were in a similar predicament.
Ms McKay said she believed the issue with Wanganui East pool was the result of a council making decisions and then rushing them through.
"We know the current council is under pressure to work with a shoestring budget. And I can understand the new council coming into a situation when they have to pick up problems created in the past."
But she said she remained very positive about the future of the Wanganui East pool.
"There are people around who want to do something. All they need is someone to pull everything together to start it off," Ms McKay said.
Mayor Annette Main told last week's meeting the council would do what the community wanted, as long as they were prepared to wear the cost.
Choices included closing the pool for a year while a plan was developed, keeping the pool going next season without heating; gifting the pool to the community; rebuilding the pool on site; rebuilding the pool elsewhere or closing it permanently.
A new pool would cost an estimated $2.5 million.