Mobile library stays but pool decision upsets

Christchurch’s mobile library service will stay open for now and the city council plans to spend another $11 million on climate change initiatives, but the news is not so good for the muchloved Wharenui Pool.

The Christchurch City Council announced yesterday it was proposing to lease the pool to the Wharenui Swim Club, but wants to stop funding it once the metro sports facility opens in 2022.

The move has been slammed by swim club president Chris Averill, who said the council was walking away from its commitments to the community and the pupils of Wharenui School.

The local government was handing over a facility that had been deliberately underinvested in for the past 10 years, he said.

‘‘The council knows that the plant is in very bad condition and is at risk of catastrophic failure, but they are still happy to lease the pool to Wharenui without making it ‘fit for purpose’.

A plan to decommission the pool was one of the most controversial aspects of the council’s draft 10-year budget, the 2021-31 long-term plan (LTP). About 160 people wrote submissions to oppose the closure and 5248 signed a petition.

Averill said the club had been working with the council to ensure the pool would remain open, and he was surprised by its sudden change in direction.

‘‘We felt the council was honouring its obligation under the deed of trust, but clearly we were wrong.’’

Ceasing all funding was the council’s way of exonerating itself from blame by not having to shut the pool itself, Averill said.

The Wharenui pool proposal was one of several changes recommended by Christchurch mayor Lianne Dalziel to the long-term plan, which originally proposed to close it and the mobile library service.

Plans to charge people for using excess water were likely to go ahead and the Riccarton bus lounge was now proposed to stay open.

The average rates increase, first proposed in the draft plan in February, was expected to drop from 5.56 per cent to 4.85 per cent.

Over the plan’s 10-year period, rates were now projected to increase by 53.8 per cent compared with 47.8 per cent. The change was largely due to an increase in interest rates, the council said.

The changes would be debated by the council on June 21 and 23 before it finalised the long-term plan.

Dalziel said the council had listened to the community after some very clear themes came through in the more than

2300 submissions it received.

The mobile library service would continue for now, but the council planned to undertake more consultation with users to develop alternative options.

The central library Tu¯ ranga would now open on five public holidays and until 8pm on weekdays.

The council had also backtracked on plans to reduce education programmes and opening hours at the Christchurch Art Gallery.

Dalziel recommended the council delay and reconsider a plan to have all ratepayers contribute towards the cost of providing stormwater and flood protection or control. At the moment only urban ratepayers, who directly benefit from the service, pay a targeted rate.

The Akaroa and Lyttelton service centres would remain open, after 113 submitters opposed their closure.

The additional $11m over 10 years for climate change and environmental initiatives included $700,000 a year to work with communities in areas most likely to be affected by climate change.

Another $75,000 was proposed to extend the Enviroschools Canterbury programme to more schools; and some $100,000 per year would fund a travel plan co-ordinator to encourage students to walk, bike, scooter or bus to school.

Dalziel said the community wanted the council to take a stronger role on educating people, to help the city meet its climate change targets.

The council was continuing with plans to spend $1.4 billion over 10 years on its transport network and $2.3b on upgrading and protecting its water networks.

Dalziel also recommended the council approve a $5.5m grant to the Arts Centre and implement a targeted rate on central-city business properties to fund the Central City Business Association.

Another $11.8m would likely be spent on the base isolation of Robert McDougall Art Gallery.

‘‘We felt the council was honouring its obligation under the deed of trust, but clearly we were wrong.’’

Chris Averill

Wharenui swim club president