Mosgiel pool tweaked to appeal to teens

Jocelyn Frost outside the Mosgiel pool. PHOTO: GERARD O’BRIEN
Jocelyn Frost outside the Mosgiel pool. PHOTO: GERARD O’BRIEN
A few tweaks have been made to the new Mosgiel pool operation after discussion about how to better accommodate teenagers.

They allowed for the main pool at Te Puna o Whakaehu to be used as a leisure pool for longer on weekends and inflatable equipment was available during those times, a Dunedin City Council spokesman said.

More inflatables were on the way, he said.

Such adjustment looked to be some way short of what Jocelyn Frost, who presented ideas at a Mosgiel-Taieri Community Board meeting last week, had in mind.

Mrs Frost suggested engaging with teenagers about what would appeal to them.

"We need to find out from them what they want," she said.

Mrs Frost said the pool was a wonderful place, but she felt it might benefit from development of more activity.

Mrs Frost would also like to see discussion about sponsorship or other ways to make the pool more accessible for young people who might not otherwise have the means to use it.

If a meeting were to be called, she was interested in being part of discussions, she said.

Adolescent conduct at the pool has been raised as a problem on social media since the pool complex opened on June 19.

This generated commentary about both misbehaviour and whether the facility was engaging enough for young people.

At the community board meeting, Mrs Frost offered a series of suggestions, such as times set aside for those aged 13 to 18, organisation of fun nights or competitions and a rostered "support team" to assist pool staff supervisors.

Provision of equipment might include water polo nets and balls, underwater hockey gear, small kayaks and basketball nets and balls, she suggested.

In a social media post, community board chairman Andrew Simms said the board was working with the council to make small operational changes to ensure the whole community was catered for at the pool.

The board also commented many suggestions would not cost money to implement and they were "more like format changes".

The council spokesman said the pool had been designed to provide for the priorities identified by the Mosgiel-Taieri community, and it continued to be popular with people of all ages.

"The feedback we receive about the new facility is overwhelmingly positive."

grant.miller@odt.co.nz

 

Advertisement