Queenstown Lakes District Council warns of weekend pool closures unless it can recruit lifeguards

The Queenstown Lakes District Council has advised that it faces having to close swimming pools at its Alpine Aqualand and Wänaka Recreation Centre facilities as of Saturday 18th February unless it can fill lifeguard positions.

The latest example of how staff shortages are impacting the leisure industry, Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) Community Services General Manager Kenneth Bailey said lifeguards play an important community role allowing people to gain the valuable life skill of swimming.

With the Council- managed pools an important health and recreation facility for both Queenstown and Wänaka, Bailey noted “closing Alpine Aqualand on weekends from 18 February (is) a last resort.

“Clearly we don’t want to close an important community facility when people expect us to be open. This decision will be reviewed weekly as we work to recruit lifeguards. Once the roster is back to normal levels we’ll open the pool on weekends again. First and foremost, we want to minimise any disruption for all regular and casual pool users."

With the pools set to be closed on weekends from 18th February until positions are filled, Bailey added “staff shortages are a nation-wide challenge and QLDC isn’t immune to that. We’re currently experiencing a shortage of lifeguard applicants and are encouraging anyone looking for work in a great environment who can swim 200 metres in six minutes to apply.

"There are some incredible benefits to being employed as a lifeguard. You’re providing a valuable community service as well as gaining nationally recognised qualifications, free gym membership and a commitment from QLDC to your ongoing development.”

QLDC is currently looking for more than 10 lifeguards across Alpine Aqualand and Wänaka Recreation Centre pools. This number is spread across full-time and part-time positions. The lifeguard shortage has been exacerbated by high school and university students completing holiday jobs and returning to their studies combined with the difficulty of sponsoring overseas workers.

This also means Arrowtown Memorial Pool (AMP) will close for the season a few weeks earlier than expected on 13th February.

Members of this pool can use their pass to access Alpine Aqualand or WRC’s pools until AMP’s originally scheduled last day of Sunday 5th March.

The Council has also recently appointed Mikayla Oliver as Aquatic Manager responsible for Alpine Aqualand and the Wanaka and Arrowtown pools.

Most recently, she worked at Invercargill Splash Palace as Team Leader for Aquatics, having been a swim school administrator, programme coordinator and a trained early childhood teacher.

Commenting on Oliver's recruitment, QLDC Sport & Recreation Manager, Simon Battrick stated that “(I am) delighted with the appointment, considering the shortage of people and experience across New Zealand with aquatic knowledge”.

Oliver replaces previous Aquatic Manager Dot Leggett who moved to Christchurch in December 2022 in to take up an Aquatic training role with Christchurch City Council.

Click here for information on QLDC’s ongoing recruitment of lifeguards.

Image: Alpine Aqualand. Credit: Myrtha Pools.