Many residents have contacted the council of late to find out the status of the Lyttelton Pool for this summer. Some concerned residents offered their help to fix the pool because many people thought the problem was merely the change rooms. Paula Smith our Community Board Chair has responded to email concerns by saying:

"As I understand it the issue is not damage to the pool itself or the changing sheds, but land stability. There is evidence of subsidence at the site [for example you can see cracks in the retaining wall along the lane up to Project Lyttelton].  If the pool is filled the weight of the water will increase the load and may result in further damage.  An in depth geotechnical investigation is required and it may be some time before this work can be done."

Correspondence from the Christchurch City Council’s Recreation and Sport Manager further confirms “The Lytteltonswimming pool needs a detailed structural engineering assessment and geotechnical analysis.  The pool plant and tank appear to be in reasonable condition.  The buildings are cracked and will need repair to meet new building code standards.  Of most concern are the widening cracks in the retaining walls and the stability of the site as it is on a steep hill.  Site stability will be aggravated by the weight of a full pool tank. This work is currently scheduled to begin in the new year.  We will keep you advised.”

Paula has suggested that Christchurch City Council could investigate some water activities for Corsair Bay for the summer. The Lyttelton Mt Herbert Community Board would be interested to know if residents think this would be a good idea. Paula can be contacted on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or you could drop into the London St Dairy and have a chat with Andrew Turner.

There is better news regarding the pool at Governors Bay.  John Filsell, the City Council's Recreation and Sport manager  advised that, "We have made good progress on this pool.  This remaining issue involves an unstable concrete wall on the property boundary.  We are working with City Care and a neighbour to  remove the wall and replace with a fence or a  temporary fence to allow use over summer".

So while the Lyttelton pool is out of action this summer, Governors Bay pool looks like an option and some organised swimming activities at Corsair Bay are some swimming options for Harbour residents this summer.