16 January 2001

Manukau City Council strongly denies media reports that pool users will soon have to pay to use the city’s swimming pools.

Recently installed entry controls at each of the city’s pools have generated concern from some quarters that using this equipment for collecting entry fees is only a step away.

Council’s Manager of Community Development, David Tucker, says that the entry controls will be a more effective, cost efficient way of maintaining control of swimmers for health and safety reasons as well as providing accurate counts and information on existing pool users.

“This information will be used to better monitor pool use and assist with better planning of programmes and facilities. It will help ensure that the overall daily loading capacity of the pool is not exceeded and in managing the session times based on the number of swimmers in the pool through the day. The entry controls will also assist with our codes of practice, for example not admitting children under the age of eight years without a supervisor.

At present all counts at swimming pools are via door counters and once a month a physical count is undertaken. The margin of error using this system is approximately 30%. This is far too inaccurate and needs improving.” he says.

Mr Tucker stresses that while the technology used in the control gates is capable of accepting smart cards for charging, this is not the intent of the project. Pool use continues to be free of charge. Any change to this policy would be debated and made by Council’s elected members.

The project was approved in the 1998/99 Annual Plan and it’s progress has been reported through the Community Development Committee.

ENDS

© Scoop Media