Editorial: Ducks start to line up

OPINION: Eight months ago, five 'rebel' Timaru district councillors did their utmost to halt the new $23.5 million Aquatic Centre in its tracks.

Ian Bowan, Ray Bennett, Jane Coughlan, Richard Lyon and Terry Kennedy were worried the centre was too expensive for Timaru and tried to get the project delayed until after the local body elections this year.

That motion was defeated after Mr Bennett changed his mind and supported the project, tipping the numbers in favour of the pro-centre faction on the 11-member council.

When the project came up for consideration this week, Cr Coughlan stuck to her guns when she voted against pressing ahead with detailed design work. She was the only councillor to do so.

A lot has changed in eight months. In June the five dissenters were mindful of a lot of vocal opposition from ratepayers worried about the cost of the centre and the wisdom of building it on the Maori Park site. There was also concern about what looked like a yawning funding gap with the council facing an up to $9 million shortfall in funding.

The councillors who opposed the centre were right to voice concerns about its cost, and had fought the good fight to make sure the centre had been well thought out and would provide value for money for ratepayers. The pro-centre councillors have also done a good job to fight for what they think is right.

As this newspaper has argued before, the aquatic centre must be built for a number of compelling reasons. Century Pool is clapped out and no longer serves the community well. At a time when school pools are being shut and there is great concern about Kiwi kids not getting enough exercise, providing an attractive, up-to-date facility should be a priority. Providing a great pool for ratepayers has to be as important as a library, sewers or roads. While it may stretch the council's finances for a while, it is a worthy project and one that needs to be done.

Even the centre's most trenchant critics would have to admit the aquatic ducks are beginning to get in a row. The council says it has secured about $2.5 million of the extra funding the centre needs to go ahead.

Two significant milestones were passed this week.

The first was the presentation of the latest designs to councillors on Tuesday, followed by a vote to push ahead with detailed designs and the letting of the contract. In project management terms, the start button has been well and truly pushed.

The second was last night's launch of the Aquatic Supporters' Club, an organisation set up to help raise at least $500,000 towards the cost of the centre.

Ratepayers are doing their bit and it must be hoped that others swing in behind the supporters' club. The BNZ has already put its money where its mouth is with a six-figure funding package. With a bit of luck other businesses will follow suit. The fights are now well and truly over and the project deserves success.

- © Fairfax NZ News