$500,000 plan approved to rebuild pool

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32971, 18 July 1972, Page 1

$500,000 plan approved to rebuild pool

Final plans of a redeveloped Centennial Pool, including two play pools at different levels, a water slide and a slide over a weir separating the two pools, a water veil and a 4ft fence to separate the play pools and play areas from the 33 metres swimming pool and diving pool, were approved by the City Council last evening.

The cost of the redevelopment is estimated at $476,000 plus $43,000 in engineering and architect fees. The accompanying architect’s sketch, drawn by Beaven and Hunt, shows the pool as it will appear, viewed from Cambridge Terrace.

The council decided, on the recommendation of Mr Bill Lovell-Smith, engineering consultant for the redevelopment, to let the work as one contract, the contract to be done in two stages and to be completed by the summer of 1973-74.

A long statement from the Mayor (Mr N. G. Pickering) gave the reason for a tripling of the estimated cost. Mr Lovell-Smith and the City Council pools superintendent (Mr B. D. Mason) gave several reasons why the contract should be let as one, and the whole job finished before any portion was opened to the public. The Mayor (Mr N. G. Pickering) in a statement he read by leave of the council, outlined, because of many public inquiries, the reasons for the increase in costs of the redevelopment from $140,000 stated at the time of the local bodies elections to the present estimate of about $500,000. He said that Mr LovellSmith had been engaged by the Labour Party to prepare a sketch and estimate of redeveloping the Centennial Poo! as a lido pool, should the Labour Party win a majority on the Citv Council. Mr Lovell-Smith had done his calculations from observations as contractors were at work demolishing the pool.

At that stage, the stand and plant buildings were in-

tact and there appeared to be less bulk excavation to the north of the pool. The diving pool had not been separated from the main pool. Mr Lovell-Smith had also assumed that the existing plant and equipment with minor alterations would service the pools and learners’ pool, and pool and room capacities were roughly equivalent for both schemes. But further demolition, particularly in the last fortnight before the election, had been carried out on “a grand scale . . . the stand roof being demolished in the last week. In fairness to Mr Lovell-Smith, the main pipework associated with pools was condemned and removed and he had no knowledge of this. “It had reached the end of its useful life, and it will cost an estimated $85,000 to replace it,” Mr Pickering said.

New costing When Mr Lovell-Smith was able to get on to the site after the elections, with all the knowledge then available, it was obvious that the Labour Party’s proposals announced in August, 1971, should have been costed at $182,700, not $140,000. Mr Lovell-Smith then set about drawing plans for the reconstruction of the pool and it became obvious, said Mr Pickering, that there would be additional items of cost brought about by demolition subsequent to the original sketch; replacement of corroded pipework of which he had no knowledge; upgrading of mechanical services required; damage to surface tiles of which he had no knowledge; additional power and lighting requirements and replacement of springboards.

Previous council Mr Pickering said the additional requirements added up to a total cost of $299,000 —and he itemised each cost. That total, added to the $182,700, gave a total estimated cost of reconstruction at that time of $481,700. “Therefore, it becomes plain to anyone that the additional amount over and above the slB2,7oo—that is s299.ooo—was brought about by the wanton demolition authorised by the previous Citizens’ council,” Mr Pickering said. Mr Pickering said that the pools would be heated; the learners’ pool covered in with a sun deck on top; and the learners’ pool would be bigger than the old one. The water '.eil would fall from a height of about Bft, with a walkway underneath. The veil would fa’.l on a rock sleb on which children could play. Different levels in the pool, a water slide, and slide over a weir, a playground with equipment would all entertain children and make it much more a family pool than before.

He said the grandstand would be replaced, and some of its lower seats removed to provide sunbathing benches. Mr Pickering and Mr LovellSmith had sat in the council chamber with 60 persons and had been ’ politely told” that the persons were not interested in plans for a Games pool at Queen Elizabeth 11 Park, said Cr. P. D. Dunbar. “Mr Lovell-Smith gave a figure of $140,000 by looking over the fence and you were happy to accept it."

However, Cr Dunbar said, he was happy to see such a handsome pool to be reconstructed at the Centennial Pool site. The only quarrel the Citizens’ councillors had, was that the lido pools should be at Queen Elizabeth (I Park. Cr M. R. Carter also said that the Mayor and Cr R. M. Macfarlane were well aware that the previous council had

acted on expert advice, and that the demolition was being done under contract let by the council. Cr W. Massey said that the same experts who advised on the Games pool being on the Centennial Pool site, were the ones who said the Queen Elizabeth Park scheme could never be built in time. Yet the contract there was two months ahead of schedule.