The Queenstown Lakes District Council will spend around $115,000 to strengthen the Wanaka Community Pool building as a temporary measure, which should see it reopen within two months.

Mayor Vanessa van Uden said the Council agreed today to channel funds that were already in the Wanaka pool budget, after receiving a briefing from staff and professional advisors. The pool was closed last Friday after an independent engineering investigation found the building only met 20% of the new building standard, making it officially “earthquake prone”.

Mayor van Uden said  the Council would make an immediate start on designing the strengthening measures, obtaining the necessary building consents and then carrying out the physical work as a matter of urgency. It could take up to two months to reopen the pool.

In the meantime, the Council has negotiated an arrangement with the Central Otago District Council for Wanaka residents to use the Cromwell pool at a lower price than they would have paid in Wanaka. Their pool concession cards will also be valid in Cromwell and at Alpine Aqualand in Frankton.

Mayor van Uden said the Council was acutely aware that many people relied on access to the Wanaka pool to learn to swim, as a training facility and for recreation and therapy.

“This is a temporary solution while we work out the best long-term option for providing pool facilities in Wanaka,” she said.

By: QLDC