Kilbirnie School pupils swim against the tide

BY REBECCA THOMSON

Kilbirnie School pool re-opened with a splash this week.

After nearly three years, and with help from parents and members of the community, pupils and teachers have a pool they can be proud of.

The pool has been re-lined, filter and chlorination systems have been upgraded, solar heating panels fixed, pipes replaced and the changing rooms refurbished, all at a cost of $45,000.

Year 5 pupil Finn Cooper, 9, was the first to try out the pool.

"It's pretty cold at the moment," he said.

"It's good having it re-opened. I'm looking forward to mucking around in it a lot."

Built in 1945, the pool had been empty since 2007, when a series of maintenance issues forced its closure.

The pool was cracked, the pipes leaked and the solar heating and chlorination systems did not work well.

Last year the school's board of trustees wanted to fill it in, but parent Mandy Joseph wanted to see it re-open, so she began a fundraising drive.

She set up working bees and had parents working on weekends to restore the pool.

"I took it on because of my own love of going to the school pool when I was growing up. I spent all my summers at the [Kelburn] school pool – dad had the key.

"I have four children at the school and I want them to have the same fun I did. After doing the research, I thought raising $45,000 was very doable," Mrs Joseph said.

The school opened the pool on Monday. Rongotai MP Annette King cut the ribbon and a group of children jumped in to mark the occasion.

Principal Mike McGimpsey said parents and the community were very generous, providing funding and materials.

The school received grants from the Eastern Suburbs Sports Trust, Water Safety Education Foundation, the Pelorus Trust and several other trusts.

"The school is now equipped with an asset that will benefit not only Kilbirnie schoolchildren and their families, but the wider local community," Mr McGimpsey said.

Water Safety New Zealand regional manager Roger Scott attended the pool's opening.

"It's absolutely fabulous," he said. "So many school pools are closed because of funding. They were built in the 50s and are in need of upgrading.

"This an awesome facility. We want to see more kids swimming and learning water skills."

Ministry of Education figures show 22 of Wellington's 88 schools have pools. About half are in use.

- The Wellingtonian