What is being proposed? | He aha e marohitia ana?
The Rotorua Aquatic Centre is an important community asset. The indoor facility is almost 40 years old, and is well overdue for a renovation to meet our community needs of a quality, modern-standard, and fit-for-purpose facility.
The Rotorua Aquatic Centre has the only outdoor heated 50m pool in the country (with natural geothermal resources used for heating purposes). The centre attracts more than 350,000 visits per year and the ‘learn to swim’ programme teaches more than 70,000 lessons annually.
The next stage (Stage Two) in the Rotorua Aquatic Centre Revitalisation is about to begin.
Stage Two of the Aquatic Centre revitalisation involves the closure of the indoor facility on Sunday, 20 November 2022, to focus on upgrading the main pool hall and front of house area.
While the revitalisation is a considerable undertaking, the reward of having a modern facility that is going to last many more decades outweighs the construction wait – with the renewed Rotorua Aquatic Centre expected to open again to our community early 2024.
What will Stage Two and Stage Three include?
Stage Two of the revitalisation will involve:
- A reclad of the main pool hall, including a transparent roof and a better connection to the outdoor 50m pool area
- Relining of the leisure pool and addition of poolside showers
- Remodel of the reception space and indoor changing rooms, providing more modern and accessible facilities and family-friendly-spaces, and eliminating the current wind tunnel from the front entrance through to the pools.
Stage Three (future) is dependent on external funding, and will focus on additional upgrades to leisure attractions that could include:
• a hydroslide
• bomb pool
• splash pad
• dedicated learn to swim pool
• improved café and gym
What work has been completed already?
Rotorua Lakes Council is working on a phased approach to the redevelopment of the Aquatic Centre.
Completed in three stages, Stage One (completed in March 2021) saw the outdoor 50m heated pool and changing facilities redeveloped which included:
- Renovated pool structure to increase depth
- Added length to accommodate a movable bulkhead which can now create two 25m pools
- Upgraded pool liner and filtration system
- PoolPod accessibility lift
- New decking pool surround and start blocks for swimmers
- Refurbishment of the outdoor changing rooms
