$500K facelift for Mount Hot Pools

Mount Hot Pools is set to get a $500,000 makeover beginning this month.

The facelift will be done in stages over the winter months, so the pools will be able to remain open during the process.

The facelift is in line with user feedback and should be well completed by the end of August, says Bay Venues venues and programmes manager Tina Harris-Ririnui.

The project primarily involves upgrading changing rooms, creating additional family changing room space, planting and landscaping around the pools, refurbishing the reception area and some painting work.

While pool users are positive about their experience at the pools, customer feedback about the venue's weaknesses highlighted 'cold and basic” changing rooms, insufficient family changing rooms, and the pools' failure to capitalise on their idyllic natural surroundings, says Tina.

The refurbishment is aimed at addressing those issues and meeting market expectations. A more up-market, modern look, will be created with the aim of ensuring the pools are a truly iconic facility Tauranga can be proud of.

'The bones of the pool complex are good and its heart and soul will not be lost,” says Tina.

'Our pools have long been a much-loved facility and a significant part of local history. The hot pools history is part of its charm but also part of the current problem in that the facility needs to be more modern. We are simply improving the aesthetic and helping the pools be the best they can - we will essentially be polishing the jewel in our crown.”

The current less-than-ideal overall appeal of the venue is impacting on the ability to attract more customers, says Tina.

She expects the refurbishment will result in increased return visits by pool users and more word-of-mouth referrals. It will be an even better than normal place to soak and relax.

'Staff are doing a fantastic job of making a tired, out-of-date facility look presentable, however, the changing rooms represent the biggest disparity between the image of an up-market facility and the reality,” says Tina.

'These spaces are less-than-ideal in terms of material and ambience and they diminish the experience of soaking in the pools.”

Hot pools' manager Matthew Strange says the landscaping will be carried out in harmony with the surrounding environment. Walls of green, wooden decks and new furniture are all part of the plan.

He says display boards will be up at the pools, so the public can view the facelift vision. Regular communications, informing the public of the areas being worked on, will be carried out.

That information, plus visuals of what is planned, can be viewed here. No work will be carried out during the school holidays.

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24 comments

spend spend spend

Posted on 18-05-2016 14:56 | By CC8

Will the $.5million bring in $1million more revenue i.e. NEW BUSINESS ,in the lifetime of THIS rebuild? Considering that it was only done a couple of years ago...has the old rebuild resulted in double the spend in NEW business ? These people have no idea about commerce or anything else, they see one aspect in isolation and throw money at it hoping to get a result . The biggest issues with the hot pools is that they are miles away from most homes and accommodation. In summer visitors come here for the beach,then there is little parking, there are at least five other hot swim options closer to the majority of the population including some which include free use with visitors accommodation . Surly staff with a defeated attitude are a turn off at the mount hot pools, it shouldn't cost $.5m to fix that.


Crikey

Posted on 18-05-2016 17:07 | By overit

It seems to be a bottomless pit over there. Good one.


Bay Venues Limited out of control

Posted on 18-05-2016 17:39 | By Murray.Guy

It would seem the internal workings and mind-sets are still the same, just a change of uniforms. Since the dysfunctional Tauranga City Aquatics (CCO of Council) was amalgamated with TVL (Baypark CCO). Staff numbers and wastage have gone through the roof with next to no accountability or transparency. The sooner a forensic independent audit is done of Bay Venues Limited which I sense will support the abandoning of CCOs, the better off the pool users and ratepayers will be!


Murray and a forensic audit

Posted on 18-05-2016 19:44 | By Councillorwatch

I think the audit Murray Guy mentions should also look at when the council he was on kind of bought a Speedway business and injected $5 million into Baypark. I can't remember Murray complaining about that huge expenditure? So is what's good for the goose good for the gander?


Upgrade good for users

Posted on 18-05-2016 20:50 | By Annalist

The users of the hotpool pay decent admission fees and it is probably one of the few council facilities that pays its own way. So why not make things nice for those who pay? Crack down on other things that are subsidised, not a pool that pays its own way.


Staff

Posted on 19-05-2016 07:17 | By Capt_Kaveman

trying to make it good , crikey the counter lady doesn't even understand english very well, the sooner this is ditched the better, my vote will go to a candidate who disbands this BVL, another waste of money


Sorry just to add

Posted on 19-05-2016 07:18 | By Capt_Kaveman

id return move often if the entry fee was more realistic


Councillor watch

Posted on 19-05-2016 08:11 | By FunandGames

Surly your scratched record needs replacing soon.


Oh dear NIMBY

Posted on 19-05-2016 09:55 | By Dr Gonzo

Whinge. Moan. Cry. Cry. Whimper. When will you people find something else to go on about? Do you have any idea how many people use this great facility every year. The tourists and locals? Its iconic. Its part of our fabric and something we pay for to offer to our visitors. Without things like this people might never come here. Ever. Your rates go towards many things and are relatively cheap considering the paradise you lot share with the rest of us. This constant unwarranted barrage of bollocks is nothing more than fatiguing - at best. What a bunch of bores.


@ FunandGames

Posted on 19-05-2016 10:01 | By Councillorwatch

Sorry but I just like to point out a few things for the sake of consistency. If a councillor or ex councillor criticises extravagance I like to point out what I consider extravagance that took place on their council. Interesting how often the pots calls the kettles black?


@ Dr Gonzo

Posted on 19-05-2016 11:05 | By Captain Sensible

Would you spend spend spend on "nice to have" items that are not essential when half a billion dollars in debt? If you answer 'yes' then stand for mayor and continue this assault on the ratepayers who do not get nice pay rises every year and are struggling as it is.


Hmmmm

Posted on 19-05-2016 12:53 | By How about this view!

Surely an increase in admission charges would cover the expenditure on improvements "For users" Annalist?? USER PAYS should be the mantra of all ratepayers, but isn't it interesting that once a council expenditure basher becomes part of a small interest group, they become an "I WANTER" at council ratepayers expense.


Can't help wondering

Posted on 19-05-2016 16:53 | By earlybird

how many of the moaners and groaners actually use the Mount Hot pools.


Shut All Hours

Posted on 22-05-2016 00:14 | By Captain Hottie

Shut again? For maintenance AGAIN? And in the winter months when if there was any reason to go to a hot pool, that would be it. Or is it because they don't want to shut in summer because of the precious tourist dollar?


Tina says ....

Posted on 22-05-2016 18:26 | By Crash test dummies

"...diminish the experience of soaking in the pools.


WB

Posted on 28-05-2016 13:28 | By overit

We love the Welcome Bay Hot Pools. Cheap, 2 temps, clean, uncrowded, BBQ's and the skin on my face doesn't itch from the hot salt water.


@ Captain Hottie

Posted on 30-05-2016 11:08 | By Crash test dummies

It is likely that the reason for that is the need of holidays, they want to have 6 weeks at lest annually.


@ overit

Posted on 30-05-2016 17:28 | By Crash test dummies

The Mount Hot Pools are not crowded, in fact many days you can go there and you are lucky if there is more soakers than staff (staff numbers are huge though, I would admit that) but the common problem being that the place is empty most of the time. Cant say that there is ever any issue in there being heaps of space there anytime.


Little to see?

Posted on 03-06-2016 11:08 | By Crash test dummies

The appearances so far all look to be minor, just a little bit here and there, at this rate it will be very hard to see how a tin of paint and all that can add up to $500,000 and as usual that will blow out and over run to perhaps $700-800,000 or more.


What is the costs to date?

Posted on 04-06-2016 16:31 | By Crash test dummies

In the last 5-6 years the Mount Hot Pools have cost ratepayers some $8-9 million and there is little of any benefit to anyone including ratepayers from that huge amount of spending. The $500,000 now is merely a continuation of the failed financial results from the organisation of TCC and BVL to front up, perform and achieve something real at this site. The trading results continue on an abysmal level and at each twist and turn seems only to get worse every year.


Spindoctoring and B/S

Posted on 09-06-2016 16:15 | By kellbell

Here are the facts -Mt.Hotpools numbers are down, it no longer pays its way, it is no longer iconic it has been run down and numerous half arsed attempts at obscene costs with substandard work have been made in the last few years to sticking plaster up the cracks.It hasn't worked and the rubdown Pools and the management thereof is a bloody disgrace.TCC @ BVL hang your heads in shame for cocking this jewel up.


@ kellbell

Posted on 15-06-2016 10:26 | By Crash test dummies

Well said, perhaps if anything not clear, succinct and harsh enough as yet. But in time all will be revealed yet again. The tab at the Mount Hot Pools looks to be somewhere around $9.6m in the last 6 years, in 'repairs' fix ups, redos, do it again spend ups, yes much shame in all of this, just a complete joke.


Spend ups

Posted on 12-07-2016 15:18 | By Crash test dummies

In the last 6-8 years TCC must have willingly/unwillingly spent some $10 million on Mount Pools, this is a ridiculous sum to have spent and gone already. Where is the accountability for these types of shambles that keep on happening.


Still not done?

Posted on 06-09-2016 09:19 | By Crash test dummies

Work continues and the bills continue to roll in for the little spend up. When will the waters clear and the murkiness be eliminated?


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