Visitor records have tumbled at Waipā community facilities in Te Awamutu and Cambridge.
Te Awamutu Livingstone Aquatic Centre
For the first time more than 400,000 people visited the Te Awamutu Events Centre and Perry Aquatic Centre in Cambridge in a financial year ending June 30.
Waipā Community Facilities Trust is contracted to run swimming pools in both towns and a sporting stadium in Te Awamutu.
In a report to the council’s Service Delivery committee this week, trust chief executive Matt Horne said the ASB Stadium in Te Awamutu led the way with a 45.8 per cent increase in usage and occupancy rates from 88 to 160 hours a month.
Club Waipā gym membership increased 35 per cent to 1141 with a membership retention rate of 51 per cent.
The Cambridge pool was added to the trust’s stable .
In Cambridge, aquatic centre visits went up nearly 10 per cent to 14,706.
The Swim Waipā programme across both pools increased by 6.3 per cent with the Learn to Swim programme attracting 4337 visits.
And the new financial year has started in the same way with visits tracking 11.4 per cent ahead of the same time last year.
Pickleball sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays are part of the reason for the increase at ASB Stadium while group fitness sessions are also exceeding expectations.
Financial revenue and expenditure targets were also met. Ratepayers cover about half of the facilities overall costs. The picture painted is far rosier than 30 months ago when post Covid, the trust reported a 20 per cent reduction in visitor numbers with revenue down.
The ASB Stadium seats up to 800 spectators and is used for a variety of events or sporting activities.
Perry Aquatic Centre consists of an indoor 25m x25m pool, a learner/hydrotherapy pool, tots pools and splash pad. It also has an upgraded 50m outdoor pool, which is open during the summer months.
The Livingstone Aquatics Centre is an indoor facility which includes a 25-metre pool, hydroslide, hydrotherapy pool, learners pool, toddler’s pool, spa, sauna and an inflatable obstacle course.
The outdoor pool in Cambridge is a popular spot in summer. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
