The Motueka pool project has been given an “enormous boost” with a donation of more than $400,000 from the Ngawhatu pool committee.
Motueka community swimming pool committee chairperson Fred Hickling says he was “blown away” by the size of the donation and gives the Ngawhatu Pool Users Inc sincere thanks for their generosity.
He credits the Tasman District Council’s recent purchase of land on King Edward St as a strong indicator to the Nelson-based group that the long-awaited Motueka pool project was a secure place for their funds.
“That was a good solid anchor in the ground for them to look at.”
The Ngawhatu pool was originally part of the Ngawhatu Psychiatric Hospital, and when the hospital was closed in 1998, a “small but very determined” committee of volunteers came together to keep the swimming pool running, says treasurer and stalwart Jos Pattison.
The therapeutic pool was reopened in 2002, and was utilised for 600 user hours a week across more than 30 groups, such as Arthritis New Zealand and the Nelson MS Society, for its therapeutic properties. The pool was run entirely by volunteers, who worked on a roster system.
Although the committee fought exhaustively for the cause, increasing operational costs and complications meant that the pool was eventually closed in 2015, which was “the hardest decision we’ve ever made”, says chairperson Sarah Kennedy.
The next step was to decide what to do with their operational funds, which, after several years sitting untouched and accruing interest in a bank account, had grown to almost $403,000.
They met with Motueka pool committee chairperson Fred Hickling last October, and eventually the Ngawhatu Pool Users Inc voted that gifting the money to advance the neighbouring committee’s 25-year mission to establish an indoor community pool was the best way to “pass the torch”.
“We’re really happy that the spirit of the Ngawhatu pool, when it was set up 20 years ago, is being honoured,” says Sarah.
The Ngawhatu committee met formally for the final time last week, to sign over the contents of their trust account.
The Motueka aquatic centre received widespread support in the Tasman District Council’s draft ten-year plan, with 85 per cent of submissions in support of the pool and about a quarter of submissions being made for this project specifically.
It is forecast to cost $20m, about a quarter of which is earmarked to come from community-raised funds.
The Ngawhatu donation is included in this category, and Fred says it is “an enormous boost to our fundraising”.
The Motueka committee has already fundraised $252,000, as well as further funds held separately by the Lions, Lionesses and Rotary, and local business in-kind pledges.
The interested parties met at the King Edward St site on Saturday to hand over the ceremonial cheque, and Tasman ward councillor Brent Maru said that, with the land purchase, the community support expressed for the project within the 10-year plan, and the fact that the plan was still in draft form and just weeks away from being formalised, the timing was very fortunate.
“It’s phenomenal. The timing is amazing - thank you,” he told the Ngawhatu representatives.
