Ashburton Pool Filled In Without Council Sign Off

Tuesday, 23 September 2025, 4:48 pm
Article: Jonathan Leask - Local Democracy Reporter

The former Tinwald Pool in Ashburton has been filled in without the council's approval, prompting an apology from the reserve board. 

Plans for the redevelopment of the site haven’t been seen or signed off by the Ashburton District Council, meaning no funds have been assigned to any work, yet contractors were on site filling in the former community pool on Monday. 

The Tinwald Reserve Board had pulled the trigger on the work, catching the council off guard and demanding an explanation at the board’s meeting on Monday night. 

Mayor Neil Brown told councillors at the activity briefing meeting on Wednesday he had received a formal apology letter from the reserve board. 

“They acknowledged that due process wasn’t followed, and I’ve had a formal letter of apology. and an assurance that it won’t happen again.” 

Democracy and engagement group manager Toni Durhmam said the council and reserve board “got slightly out of step” with the timing. 

The cost of filling in the pool will be covered by the board Durham said. 

“[Plans for] stage two, which is the actual redevelopment of the site, that will be coming to council for approval and also seeking funding.” 

The council confirmed the reserve board obtained three quotes for the work, with the cheapest coming in at $34,750. 

Two councillors sit on the Tinwald Reserve Board, Cr Leen Braam as chairperson and Cr Phill Hooper, and they did not offer any comment or explanation at the council meeting. 

The council decided to permanently close the Tinwald Pool last year because it needed an estimated $3m of repair and upgrade work in addition to around $400,000 annual operating costs. 

The site was handed back to the Tinwald Reserve Board to consider its future. The board sought suggestions from the public for a concept plan, with the knowledge that the council had no money budgeted in the long-term plan for any redevelopment. 

At the council activity briefing meeting in July, Cr Russell Ellis made note of the agenda item from the Tinwald Reserve Board that stated “Leen presented the concept plan for the families area that will replace the old Tinwald Pool site”. 

Ellis asked if council would see those plans, and Durham said that was the intention. 

“The next step in the process is it would be brought to council to see, okay, do you agree? And if so, the magic funding question,” Durham said at the July meeting. 

Two months later, contractors have moved in, plans unseen and the ‘magic funding question’ is unanswered by the council. 

After the Tinwald Reserve Board was asked for an explanation on Monday night, a council statement on Tuesday had Braam confirming the board started the first stage of a project to turn the old Tinwald Pool into a family play and picnic area. 

The reserve board was undertaking and paying for stage one from its own budget he said. 

Stage one involved breaking up the bottom of the pool and then filling it with shingle. 

“The second stage will involve creating a playground for younger children, and we’ve got plans to install large jumping pillows in the pool cavity.” 

“We really did need to do something with the empty pool from a health and safety point of view and so the reserve board has gone ahead with stage one. 

“We’ll be talking with council, showing them our plans for stage two, and seeking their final approval for the development in the next few months.” 

Braam said it was sad to see the pool filled in, but it was not feasible to spend $3m upgrading the facility, when it was used by so few swimmers over the summer months.

“We think this renovation project is a good opportunity to pay homage to the old pool and create a new play area that will be free to use, year-round.” 

Ultimately, the council, when it finally reviews the plans, will determine what the redevelopment looks like and how it will be funded.

-LDR is local body journalism funded by RNZ and NZ on Air

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