Centennial Pool

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30585, 30 October 1964, Page 10

Centennial Pool

Sir, —All regular swimmers were horrified recently to learn of the sudden and exorbitant increases in the Centennial Pool admission charges. A six-month swimming season will now cost £9 12s instead of £2, an increase of 480 par cent, not including the obligatory 6d locker fee for each visit and 6d valuables deposit charge, previously included with the admission charge. Most swimmers would have made little protest at a more moderate increase, but to suddenly fleece regular swimmers and at the same time make swimming one of the most expensive sports, is unreasonable in the extreme. The baths committee should note that swimmers have been paying for virtually nonexistent facilities for 14 years, ever since the pool was opened, and also that the people who will be paying are mainly in the 14 to 21 age group for whom the present outrageous increases will create genuine financial hardship.—Yours, etc., MICHAEL B. JAMESON.

October 19, 1964. [Cr H. G. Hay, chairman of the baths committee of the City Council, replies: “The charges adopted by the council at the meeting held in June brought the Centennial Pool admission charges into line with those applying at similar pools throughout the country. They are identical with those at the Parnell and Point Erin pools in Auckland for some time and differ only slightly from those in force at th? Freyberg Tepid Pool in Wellington and the new Moana Pool in Dunedin. It was felt that the former season ticket swimmer was being very heavily subsidised by the casual bather. Provision has been made for concessions to coaches, swimming club members, and life-

saving groups. Members of these groups received a reduction of 8s a month on the monthly tickets. It should also be remembered that the operating costs of the pool, together with the charges on the loans raised to construct the council’s baths, are by no means covered by the income received. Many of the -patrons of the baths are non-rate-payers and are therefore not those who must finally bear the responsibility for meeting the cost of any deficit.”]