AusLeisure

Swimming New Zealand has advised that Kiwa Pools in Gisborne, Tairāwhiti was recently opened, delivering a new home for the Comet Swimming Club and welcoming the local community.

The new $46 million facility was built by Apollo Projects and boasts one indoor two-metre deep, eight-lane 50metre pool.

Glenn Hamblyn, Head Coach of Comet Swimming Club, is excited for the future of the club and the benefit of having Kiwa Pools as their training base.

Hamblyn shared “Kiwa Pools is a great facility and will offer our swimming club an environment to build on our 65 year history. Having the facility with deep water and starting blocks alone will be game changing for us, being able to teach and learn with proper equipment will make sure swimmers can gain and continually improve skills.

“Comet and our swimmers of all levels are enjoying the new Kiwa Pools.  We are looking forward to welcoming teams from all over New Zealand come to Gisborne for camps."

The benefit of having an indoor facility will mean that the club will have a lot more consistency around training and racing opportunities, especially after a year of unforeseen weather events that have impacted the region significantly.

At the official opening, the Chief Executive of Gisborne District Council, Nedine Thatcher Swann, thanked Ngai Tawhiri, acknowledging it was their land which had been made available for the project.

"We acknowledge and respect the rich, deep cultural heritage and enduring connection that you have to this whenua. Thank you for sharing it with our community."

Funding for the project was announced by then Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in July 2020, with Apollo Projects beginning construction in February 2022. The pool was scheduled to open in March 2023, but that date was pushed back five months due to supply chain, Covid and cyclone-related disruptions.

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