Tauranga City Council has confirmed its support for the Mount Maunganui College 50-metre training pool expansion proposal, following comprehensive due diligence.
The decision was made at the latest Council meeting and includes ongoing Council support to subsidise community use of the pool.
Council will provide a $4.945 million (plus GST), 10-year loan-funded operational grant for pool construction, and an annual operational grant of up to $340,000 (plus GST) to meet the extra cost of providing community access to the pool. The pool will continue to be run by the Omanu Swim Club, in conjunction with the Mount Maunganui Aquatic Centre Trust.
Deputy Mayor Jen Scoular says the decision reflects strong community demand and the benefits a 50-metre pool would have for aquatic sports and community recreation.
“This is a significant step forward for our city. We know from the survey we did that the people of Tauranga want a 50-metre pool. This facility will not only support competitive swimmers and water sports, but also free-up lane space at Baywave for the wider community. It’s a win for everyone who values aquatic recreation and high-performance sport in Tauranga,” Jen says.
“The ability to have a community-run, council-supported facility of this kind in Tauranga fits our ‘value for money’ approach perfectly.”
The facility will primarily serve structured aquatic training and training camps, while providing community access under agreed terms.
Deputy Mayor Jen Scoular
At the same meeting, Council confirmed it was exploring options to accelerate the Memorial Park Aquatic Centre project, potentially bringing construction forward to start as early as late-2026.
The project, originally deferred to 2027/28, is being reassessed following strong community feedback and the establishment of a dedicated Steering Group tasked with refining the scope, budget, and design of the Aquatic Centre. Two indicative timelines are under consideration:
- December 2026 to March 2029, or
- September 2027 to December 2029.
Both options would require adjustments to Council’s capital programme through the Annual Plan 2026/27 and the Long-term Plan 2027–37.
Mayor Mahé Drysdale says accelerating the project would deliver significant benefits for the community.
“We know how important aquatic facilities are for Tauranga. If we can bring this project forward, it means our residents and sports groups will have access to a modern, fit-for-purpose aquatic centre sooner. This is about responding to community needs and making sure we deliver the best outcome as quickly as possible.”
Mahé also acknowledged the need to balance priorities across the city’s major projects.
“While we’re keen to move faster on this, we have to weigh it against other critical investments in our city. It’s about finding the right balance, so we can deliver this facility without compromising progress on other essential projects.”
Mayor Mahé Drysdale
The Memorial Park Aquatic Centre was originally budgeted at $123 million, but revised estimates suggest a redesigned, value-for-money facility could cost between $80 million and $100 million, depending on the final scope.
Bringing the project forward would require reprioritising capital budgets through the Annual Plan and Long-term Plan processes, which may impact the timing of other major infrastructure projects. Council is also exploring opportunities for external funding and partnerships to reduce the burden on ratepayers.
The proposed redevelopment at the existing Memorial Pool site will retain key community assets such as the Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre, while providing a state-of-the-art facility for lane swimming, aquatic sports, hydrotherapy, learn-to-swim programmes and family recreation.
Council will confirm the preferred timeline and funding approach through the upcoming Annual Plan process.