New Coastlands Aquatic Centre opens on Kapiti Coast

Having been in use over recent weeks since its completion the troubled Coastlands Aquatic Centre, a joint project between the Kapiti Coast District Council and the Kapiti Aquatic Centre Trust, was officially opened on Saturday (10th August).

Located at Paraparaumu town centre, the $21.1 million facility, which replaces the old Raumati pool, features a multi-purpose 25 x 25 metre pool, one of only two pools in the Wellington region with a multifunctional moveable floor; a toddlers' pool; a hydro slide; spa pool; sauna; and a cafe.

The pool is dedicated above all to swimming competitions and deep-water sports but it can also be used for aqua fitness and aqua walking.

The programmes pool, which is a smaller pool, includes ramp access and 32 degrees water temperature, enabling people with special needs to learn the swimming programmes and hydrotherapy. A second hydro slide and an Olympic pool are also proposed in the long term.

All the pools inside the Centre have been designed and installed by Myrtha Pools.

To lend an outdoor pool feeling, the centre features a translucent ETFE roof (the same roofing material as was used at Dunedin's Forsyth Barr Stadium), which enables infiltration of natural light and reduces heat and upto $30,000 in lighting costs annually.

The project was initiated by Kapiti Coast District Council and Kapiti Aquatic Centre Trust partnership in 2008, to provide recreational and fitness opportunities for the wider communities of the Kapiti Coast community.

Kapiti Coast District Council contributed $16.8 million while the Trust contributed $4.3 million for the project. Local sponsors like Coastlands, Pak 'n Save and Kapiti Coast Physiotherapy contributed $750,000, $400,000, and $290,000 respectively while the Lottery Grant Board, the New Zealand Community Trust, and the Endeavour Community Foundation and First Sovereign Trust also funded the project.

Speaking at Saturday's opening, Kapiti Mayor Jenny Rowan stated "this is the most exciting community facility to open in our District. We have been waiting so long for this day."

Explaining the translucent ETFE roof, which lets in natural light and will substantially reduce heating and lighting costs, Mayor Rowan added "this is one of the many energy-saving design features we opted for in line with Council's strong sustainability principles.

"It gives users a feeling of being outdoors - without the need for sunscreen!"

However, the construction phase of the new facility was a troubled one as the facility was just weeks from opening in March this year when the main contractor Mainzeal went into receivership forcing the Council to work with the receivers and contractors to complete the project.

In addition, over recent months a very public battle about access to the main pool was waged with disability groups referring their demands for disabled ramp access in the facility to the New Zealand Rights Commission.

Alison Laws of the Coastlands Aquatic Centre will be discussing the project at this week's Just Add Water (JAWS) National Aquatics Seminar, organised by the New Zealand Recreation Association, in Nelson.

For more information go to www.kapiticoast.govt.nz/Projects/Kapiti-Aquatic-Centre/

For more information on Myrtha Pools technology, click here to visit the Myrtha Pools listing in the Australasian Leisure Management Supplier Directory.

6th July 2013 - SECOND WATERSLIDE FOR COASTLANDS AQUATIC CENTRE