Project update - June 2023
- The findings of the Khandallah Pool site assessment report, completed in April 2023, identify significant challenges and costs associated with mitigating resilience and vulnerability (see the full report below).
- Overcoming these challenges greatly reduces the useful available space for development of a new pool.
- Rebuilding a similar pool on the same site won’t be viable due to site constraints, stream flooding mitigation requirements and slope instability risks associated with the adjacent hill.
- A detailed options assessment will commence to explore what the relative merits, risks and costs are of the various options that the Council could now pursue given the new technical advice.
Technical investigations
We commissioned several technical reports to better understand the existing site conditions at Khandallah Pool.
The report, completed in April 2023, covered:
- topographical survey
- geotechnical investigation
- flood hazard investigation and modelling
- infrastructure review
- environmental analysis.
The most significant findings being due to the risk of flooding from the nearby Tyers Stream and slope instability of the adjacent hill. The site for any new pool would need to be reduced from the existing footprint and raised vertically by 1.8m to mitigate the flood risk.
In addition to this, investment is required to improve core infrastructure to support the build of any new pool. Specifically, installation of a dedicated transformer and installation of below ground attenuation tanks. The report also highlighted parking constraints due to the changes required at the site.
See the report and presentation:
Khandallah Pool Site Assessment Report June 2023 (20MB PDF)
Khandallah Pool Site Feasibility Presentation (2.5MB PDF)
Background
Khandallah Pool is a much-loved community swimming facility that opened in 1925.
It includes an outdoor, unheated pool in a structured design, with limited landscaping and two buildings. The site is picturesque but constrained and has limitations around carparking and access.
The pool is open to the public from December to March each year.
However, the facility is showing its age, particularly the buildings which have seismic issues, and the original structured design of the pool is no longer fit-for-purpose for aquatic leisure.
At the Pūroro Rangaranga, Social, Cultural and Economic Committee meeting on 22 February 2022, the Council reviewed an Options Report for the future of the Khandallah Pool.
The Council decided to proceed with an increased level of service which means a full rebuild of the pool structure, and other site enhancements with an expected cost of $8.05 million dollars.
View Council report from 22 February 2022 (page 7) (23.2MB PDF)
Community Reference Group
We will work collaboratively with the community to reach a decision for the future of the pool and park.
We have engaged with the Khandallah community and other stakeholders to form a Community Reference Group that the project team can work with as the options and the criteria for the options assessment are developed.
The Community Reference Group will actively participate in the process and assist the Council and inform the wider community on the project and what is happening.