Khandallah Pool report finds 'significant challenges and costs', council says

Monday, 3 July 2023

A new report into Wellington’s 87-year-old Khandallah Pool has found significant spending would be needed to save it and work would involve raising it by 1.8 metres.

The Wellington City Council in early 2022 voted in favour of more than $8 million of work on the northern suburb’s outdoor summer pool after finding out it suffered from ageing pipes, earthquake- prone changing rooms and a leaky tank.

But the council has now released a report covering flood modelling, a geotechnical report, an infrastructure review and a site analysis, outlining the amount of work the pool would require.

The biggest issues were the nearby Tyers Stream and the stability of the hill above. Flood risk meant the pool would need to be raised by 1.8 metres.

The pool would also need a dedicated transformer and a new underground tank. The statement did not say how much the work would cost though did say a detailed options assessment, looking at options, was being done.

“There is more work to be done to fully identify what is possible and to understand the needs of the community,” council chief customer and community officer Kym Fell said.

Wharangi/Onslow-Western ward councillor Diane Calvert, who had led the charge to save the 1925 pool, said it was disappointing the council had interpreted the report as “the end of the matter” but said she would continue to look for alternative solutions.

“This is a pool that will be a hundred years old in 18 months and the only one belonging to the city council that has had no significant upgrade and landscaping for the past 60 years.

“The report does not present any risks that can’t be mitigated and does not present any information about those associated costs and mitigating factors.

“The commentary in the report makes it clear that none of them are so significant they put the redevelopment at risk.”