11 Dec 2018

Lower Hutt pool stayed open despite quake risk

From Morning Report, 6:44 am on 11 December 2018

A learners' swimming pool in the Lower Hutt suburb of Naenae stayed open for two months after the city council was told by engineers the roof was at high risk of collapsing in an earthquake. The Hutt City Council commissioned an engineering firm, Beca, to undertake an assessment of the pool complex as part of a planned refurbishment. Beca reported in late September that the roof over the learners' pool was just 20 percent of the New Building Standards. The council commissioned a more detailed report which confirmed the findings and the pool was closed the next day. Our reporter Emma Hatton spoke with the council's general manager of City and Community Services Matt Reid.