Q.E.II pools may close

Press, 11 April 1979, Page 1

Q.E.II pools may close

The heated swimming pools at Queen Elizabeth II Park may be closed during the winter to save the cost of electricity and fuel oil. The chairman of the Christchurch City Council’s parks and reserves committee (Cr P. N. G. Blaxall) said last evening that other measures which would be examined were an increase in pool charges or the closing of individual pools. He received a report yesterday from the council’s recrea-

tion officer (Mr A. J. Patterson), which gave details of costs and possible conservation measures. Cr Blaxall said that a council sub-committee met sports bodies last week to “sound them out” on the matter. He said that, after reading the 11-page report, he might call a special meeting of the parks and reserves committee so that recommendations could be got before the next full council meeting on April 23. However, the position would have to look

“pretty bad” for that to happen. Cr Blaxall said that price rises meant that the City Council faced increases of $33,600 for electricity and $14,500 for fuel oil to heat the pools. The annual costs for each would be about $lOO,OOO and $llO,OOO, he said. The biggest problem was not just heating the water, he said, but the atmosphere inside the pool complex. The Queen Elizabeth II Park pools did not get the same patronage in

winter as at other times. “The best move would be to promote swimming in winter,” Cr Baxall said. However, this would take a lot of advertising because it would be difficult to change people’s attitudes. Cr Blaxall, said that the council did not want to restrict use of the pools. When the question of closing them arose previously for cost reasons, the parks and reserves committee voted against the idea, he said.