Future of Auckland swimming pool remains uncertain after local council meeting

Olympic Pools Director Peter Rust is surrounded by supporters as he addresses the Waitematā Local Board at its August meeting.
Photo: Jessica Hopkins/RNZ

The future of a Newmarket swimming pool and fitness centre remains uncertain after a divided local board meeting.

On August 1, Auckland City Council decided to begin the process of deciding which of its community pools it wanted to continue to lease to private operators and which it wanted to run itself.

However, the council gave the Waitematā Local Authority the responsibility to determine whether Olympic Pools would remain under its current management, which has been operating since 1994.

A packed room of about 30 local residents attended the local government’s monthly public forum to support the institution’s management.

Several pool users made an urgent appeal to the board to maintain the status quo.

Someone said she had been a regular user of the pools for thirty years and was afraid that a change in management would ruin the place.

“The Olympic is a thriving community center, a second home for many of us, a family.”

“I’ve been to the Olympics thousands of times and have always had a positive experience.

“The Olympic Games run like a well-oiled machine, customers and staff are satisfied, nothing needs to change.”

Another bather told the board that the pools were run in an exemplary manner, compared to other pools he had used that were managed directly by the board.

“I’ve noticed the contrast. They seem to operate much less streamlined than Newmarket.

“I urge you to resist the temptation to fix something that doesn’t need to be fixed.”

Olympic Pools is investigating after two men, believed to be freedivers, were found unconscious in a swimming pool over the weekend.
Photo: Google Maps

Olympic Pools Director Peter Rust said the pool management had asked the council five years ago for a 10-year lease extension to allow it to continue operating the facility.

He said the pool’s management was willing to invest $1 million in improvements if it continued to operate the facility.

But because the lease with the municipality expires on November 2, they wanted certainty about the future of the swimming pool, Rust said.

He said the Council’s delayed decision had put financial and emotional strain on management and staff.

A representative of Hilton Brown Swimming, which used the pools for swimming lessons, said the uncertainty over the lease was also damaging to their business as they were unable to accept bookings for swimming lessons.

Mark Knoff-Thomas, head of the Newmarket Business Association, said The Olympic makes a valuable contribution to the Newmarket community.

He said the council had “dropped the ball several times over the years” and the situation could have been avoided.

Board member Sarah Trotman proposed that the board extend the lease for a short period until March 31, 2025.

But a majority, including board chair Genevive Sage, voted to wait until the next meeting on Sept. 16 to make a decision on the lease.

Rust said he could not understand why a short-term lease extension was not granted.

“We’ve been in business for 30 years. We would continue to operate in the same way in the meantime. The community is doing very well.”

“It does not prevent a decision from being made. We are simply asking for some breathing space for all stakeholders of The Olympic.”

Trotman told RNZ she was strongly opposed to the council’s decision.

“In today’s vote, the more commercially minded C&R team supported my sensible proposal to ensure Olympic had confidence in a lease until 31 March 2025. Unfortunately, Gen Sage and its City Vision team voted against the community by rejecting a short extension to the lease. It reflects their lack of commercial and managerial experience.”

Sage responded that the board should wait for advice from the council before making a decision.

“Today’s Board decision – which was voted against by member Sarah Trotman – was to ensure that a report, being prepared by Council staff and containing all the information necessary to make a fully informed decision on the long-term operation of the Olympic Pool, can be considered by the Board at next month’s Board meeting.

“This was communicated very clearly to all stakeholders before the meeting and it should not have come as a surprise to anyone.”