Thames Centennial Pool closed until further notice

Thames Centennial Pool. Photo: TCDC

The Thames Centennial Pool has been closed until further notice due to a breakdown in the heating unit.

The Thames Coromandel District Council announced on Friday night that the breakdown in the heating unit means that the pool will not be open as usual on Sunday.

'We'll know more about the problem tomorrow, Saturday 10 August, and will keep you posted,” says a council spokesperson.

The 25m, wood burner heated, Council-staffed facility has a growing reputation for producing some of the country's best competitive juniors with youngsters who've moved through the lessons now attending squad training.

In February 2019, Swimming New Zealand accredited Thames Centennial Pool's Swim Cool Swim School with Gold status, their highest certification.

The pool also scored a coup in early 2019 with a grant of $8,000 worth of life-saving equipment donated by Boat Safety New Zealand. This gear, including the boat and life vests, has now been incorporated into swim lessons to teach water safety and life-saving skills.

Thames Centennial Pool staff, including Katrina Price (far left, front, and Paul Dufty, far right) are delighted with life-saving equipment donated by Boat Safety New Zealand.

Paul Dufty, the council's Recreation Manager has previously said that the swim school programme for term one of 2019 was at full capacity with some late enrolments turned away.

The council website has comments from Paul about outgrowing the current pool.

"If numbers continue to track the way they are we will look into opening up more classes in the future but this puts pressure on pool space for the general public and squads,” says Paul. 'We're outgrowing the current pool. The pool staff are doing the best they can with what they have got but are limited to how many people they can deliver to because of the current facility.”

With Thames Centennial Pool needing to be replaced by 2027, the council is moving forward with finding a site for the new swimming pool to replace Thames Centennial Pool, with a location at the south end of the Sir Keith Park Memorial Airfield in Thames chosen for further investigation.

For now, though, it's all hands on deck this weekend to repair the heating unit.

'We'll try to have the pool open as soon as possible, but it may not be fixed in time for Monday either,” says a council spokesperson.

Aqua Aerobics. Photo: TCDC

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