Contract awarded for Balclutha pool upgrade

Clutha District Council today announced it has awarded a contract for the upgrade of the Balclutha Centennial Swimming Pool for $3,496,700 + GST to Dunedin based company Lund South Ltd.

Chief Executive Charles Hakkaart said the upgrade will focus on renewing the existing pool - which is 40 years-old - to modern standards. The upgrade will include:

• Replacement of the old asbestos roof and walls.
• Reconfiguration of the current Learner’s Pool to provide a better and safer area for toddlers with a shallower ‘beach’ pool.
• Upgraded changing rooms to make them more family friendly.
• Renewal of the heating and ventilation system.
• Upgraded pool entrance.

However, Mr Hakkaart said two further components - a therapeutic pool, and a bulkhead that would allow for the main pool to be shortened to 25m for competitive swimming as well as separate the main pool from a new learner’s area - would only go ahead if external funding sources could be found.

The therapeutic pool and bulk head were identified as desirable by interested groups during consultation on what the upgrade might include, but would have added an additional $169,000.

Mayor Bryan Cadogan said Council had committed to upgrade and refurbish the existing pool, but that if the community still desired the therapeutic pool and bulk head then the additional funding would need to be found.

“Council intends to approach funding organisations but I would also be very interested to hear from people in the community willing to help with fundraising to add these features,” Mayor Cadogan said.

In the meantime, work will start on the upgrading / refurbishing of the pool which has been closed since late February when the heating system failed and continued repair was considered uneconomical given the proposed renewal.

Under Council’s current revenue and funding policy, this project will add about $67 + GST to the Balclutha Community Services rate (depending on property value) and about $8 + GST to the Uniform Annual General Charge which is set on all households across the district.

Mr Hakkaart said that once the upgrade is complete, entry fees will be reviewed to reflect the upgraded facilities and to reduce the impact on rates.

The pool is expected to reopen in January 2012.