Council has taken an important step forward in progressing the future of an aquatic facility in Thames.

At its recent meeting, the Infrastructure and Finance Committee confirmed its support for continued aquatic provision in Thames and agreed to progress planning for a replacement facility in a way that is affordable, sustainable, and shaped in collaboration with the community and mana whenua.

The Committee approved a coordinated programme to advance planning for a replacement aquatic facility in Thames, alongside the development of a district-wide approach to aquatic facilities. This programme recognises both the importance of aquatic recreation to the Thames and wider district community, and the need for consistent, future-focused decision-making.

Central to this work is the site of the current Thames Centennial Pool at Taipari Park on Mackay Street. Taipari Park is a place of deep spiritual, cultural, and historical significance to Ngāti Maru. The site forms part of an early burial ground, an urupā associated with Te Kauaeranga Pā, and is deeply embedded in the whakapapa and identity of the iwi. Ngāti Maru’s ancestral connection to the land was formally recognised as early as 1869 by the Māori Land Court, with burial grounds clearly identified on early survey maps.

Over time, the land passed out of Māori ownership through a series of Crown and local authority actions. Portions of the urupā were taken for road purposes in the early 20th century, further land was vested in the Thames Borough Council during the 1930s, the land was declared a public reserve in 1951, and the Thames Centennial Pool was constructed on the site in the 1970s. The construction and continued operation of public facilities on what remains an ancestral burial ground has long been a source of concern for Ngāti Maru.

Council has acknowledged this history for many years. Since the 1990s and early 2000s, Council planning has identified that the Thames Centennial Pool was nearing the end of its operational life and that a replacement facility would need to be developed at an alternative location. This intent was formally embedded in planning documents from 2006 and later confirmed in the Thames and Thames Coast Reserves Management Plan adopted in 2019.

Over the past three decades, successive Councils have explored a range of options for replacement aquatic facilities, including alternative sites and partnership models. While various proposals were considered, challenges relating to funding, affordability, and site suitability have meant these options did not progress.

Throughout this time, Ngāti Maru has not sought the closure of the pool or restricted community access to aquatic facilities. Council acknowledges Ngāti Maru’s consistent, constructive, and reasonable approach, as well as the important role the pool plays in the community.

Te Tara o te Ika a Māui Councillor Michael Barlow says, “This work is an opportunity to move forward together with Ngāti Maru. The importance of Taipari Park to mana whenua cannot be overstated, and it’s right that this sits at the heart of our planning.”

Mayor Peter Revell says the work reflects Council’s commitment to aquatics provision. “This is real progress. We’re providing clarity about the future, supporting the community, and building a strong foundation for collaborative planning. The work ahead is about listening, working together, and achieving the best long-term outcomes for Thames and the wider district.”

As an early step, the Infrastructure and Finance Committee has requested high-level estimates for the capital cost of a 25-metre pool at the Richmond Street site and an indication of a funding model that would make a replacement facility affordable for Thames ratepayers. To ensure the programme is genuinely collaborative, the Committee has also recommended that the steering group include both a community representative and a representative of mana whenua.

Together, these decisions mark a deliberate and positive step forward — supporting the community’s aquatic needs while continuing a respectful, partnership-based approach to future planning.

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