Supporters making waves for new Whau pool and recreation centre

Support continues to mount for a new public swimming pool and recreation complex for West Auckland – and there’s hope that the upcoming budget vote on the Auckland Council Long-term Plan (LTP) will make sure it’s underway within five years, rather than 10.

The recent community consultation on the LTP and Auckland Plan saw many Aucklanders have their say. Auckland Council is currently processing this feedback with an overview report available on 9 May 2018. Elected members will then make decisions and finalise the budget in June 2018.

Auckland Council has allocated funds in the LTP for the construction of the pool and recreation centre in the Whau region, and Sport Waitakere is calling for adequate funding to be set aside in the first three years.

“The reality of the funding is that it is more likely to take effect in the latter part of the LTP, around year seven. It is critical that some funding is set aside in the first three years, primarily to allow suitable land to be secured,” says Sport Waitakere CEO Lynette Adams.

“We need progress before the land disappears or increases in price. If there’s no money early on to find the land and investigate development partnerships, it’s unlikely anything will happen at all until 2025.

“Until money appears in an annual budget, no one will start any work or planning the pool and recreation facilities.”

For more than 25 years, West Wave Pool and Leisure Centre in Henderson has been the only public pool servicing more than 200,000 West Aucklanders – a population that is growing year on year.

New Lynn MP Deborah Russell says the new facility will deliver much needed recreational capacity for the community.

“This facility will include indoor courts which are well overdue for the region and in high demand for sports including basketball, volleyball, badminton and futsal. There is already a 30 court shortfall across the Auckland region for indoor sports space and this new centre provides an eagerly awaited solution.”

Whau Local Board Chair Tracy Mulholland has noted that a new pool in the Whau region would ease pressure on the current West Auckland pool and increase access to aquatic and sporting activities for the growing population.

“We know the region needs this pool and recreation facility – our local community has spoken. What’s important now is that we make this a reality by ensuring the budget is available as soon as possible to secure suitable land and start the negotiation process,” says Mulholland.

“Over the last 25 years the West Wave facility has provided an excellent sports facility for our community, however the reality is this facility is more than 10 kilometres away from the rapidly growing Whau area.”

Mulholland explains that a third of West Aucklanders (approximately 80,000) live in Whau with that number expected to grow by more than 20,000 in the next 10 years. “We need to act now to ensure adequate budget is allocated to make a new pool and recreation centre a reality if we want to ensure our future population has access to facilities that enable them to lead active and healthy lives.”

Sports groups across the West Auckland region are also backing the push for a new pool and recreation facility in the shorter term.

Brett Green, CEO of Swimming Auckland says West Wave is bursting at the seams with queues out the door during high demand times.

“Swimming Auckland has had to reduce the number of competitions it can hold at West Wave due to the increased demand for space by the many and varied user groups,” says Green. “The training space is often restricted or not available due to other events being held. It is difficult to develop a high quality competitive training programme under these conditions.

“Every swimming club in the Auckland region is under immense pressure in regards to available water space and a new facility will ease some of this, as well as create more opportunity for people to participate,” adds Green.

Submissions and public consultation on the Auckland Plan and LTP closed on 28 March. During the consultation process, Sport Waitakere, in conjunction with Aktive – Auckland Sport & Recreation, engaged thousands of West Aucklanders to make their voices heard via the #sportsmatters platform. A tailored postcard campaign was also undertaken across the area by Sport Waitakere. For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/aklsportmatters/

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