Anyone who walks through the doors of the new Mosgiel swimming pool complex next week will sense why the battle for it was worth fighting, Irene Mosley says.
In some ways, she expects the facility to speak for itself.
First-time visitors are sure to notice its warmth. Entry to each of the five pools is inviting and an access ramp features in even the eight-lane 25m lap pool. The centre appears suitable for both exercise and relaxation and looks set to meet the needs of a broad age range.
For Mrs Mosley, who chaired the Taieri Community Facilities Trust, the need for a facility of such quality and capacity had been apparent for a while. She became central to the campaign in 2015, urging the Dunedin City Council to get on with the project and tap into a motivated community.
In November 2016, she expressed confidence a 2019 opening could be achieved.
"It’s been a long process and, at times, a difficult process," Mrs Mosley said this week.
"There were times when as a committee we wondered if we could win this."
The community raised more than $4 million for a complex that ended up costing about $19.2 million and the council funded the balance.
Te Puna o Whakaehu opens officially on Monday and Mrs Mosley will be there with her togs.
When a giant pool party is held next Saturday, she expects many people will soak in what they now have and their contribution to bringing it about.
"I’m proud of what we’ve achieved," she said.
"To see people enjoying it is going to be the reward."
Mosgiel businessman Bob Campbell took on the role of fundraising committee chairman in 2017 and he is excited about the facility’s opening.
"It looks incredible," he said.
An optimistic goal of raising $7.5 million was never hit, but Mr Campbell said tremendous generosity showed through.
It eventually became clear enough the project would proceed and significant money came in.
"Once people realised it was going to happen, then it gathered momentum."
A key for the trust was "keeping the voice of the community in our thoughts", Mrs Ross said.
"There’s a space in here for everybody in the community to enjoy," she said at a test run of the facility this week.
"I’ve never seen a community rally like this one, in fundraising for the pool."
Both Mr Campbell and Mrs Ross described Mrs Mosley as a driving force.
However, the genesis for the campaign was years earlier. Arguments were being articulated back in 2008, after council staff presented three options — retain a pool open for seven months of the year, improve it or build a new aquatic facility.
It was established quite quickly a year-round facility was preferred and Mosgiel-Taieri Community Board chairman at the time Barry Barbour said the community then needed to engage with the council on what would be done.
"It is a matter of working it through and getting in the councillors’ faces to see if they will do anything about it," he said.
"I think we’ve got to look at it as a city facility, not a Mosgiel facility, because of the fact that Moana [swimming pool in Dunedin] is totally chocker.
"It’s got to be an extension of Moana Pool. With Mosgiel-Taieri being the biggest-growing area in the city, it is the logical place for an upgrade."
Not everybody was convinced.
In 2014, a community board member known for his frankness argued against the trust receiving $30,000 in ratepayer funding so it could develop a detailed plan for the pool project.
The late Maurice Prendergast said a multimillion-dollar pool was not going to happen because the council had made it clear it had no money for new projects.
"So why isn’t the council telling these nincompoops who dream of the grandeur of a new pool to get stuffed?"
Cr Lee Vandervis asked the trust why the pool should be funded over the South Dunedin community library complex, which would serve more people.
Four years later, Cr Vandervis swung in behind a boost in the pool project’s budget, while Cr Aaron Hawkins had the sole vote against it and Cr Marie Laufiso abstained.
Cr Vandervis moved a motion to increase the council’s contribution from $6.4 million to $10.8 million.
"The pool is going to be a significantly greater project than first proposed because the circumstances have significantly changed in terms of the need and the population the pool will serve."
A report by Apollo Projects estimated an eight-lane pool, as well as hydrotherapy, learner and spa pools, would cost about $11.5 million. This did not include the cost of roading changes, demolition of the old pool, relocation of the Mosgiel Caravan Park and landscaping work.
Mrs Mosley argued the community was happy to raise the money needed to include extras such as hydrotherapy and spa pools but did not want to fund a core council service.
"We’ve got little old ladies making jam to raise money for the pool — do we really want that?"
Mrs Mosley said this week the advocacy, such as arguing a six-lane main pool would be insufficient, took a toll. At one point, the trust was close to walking away.
It was no doubt useful that Kyle Forde helped support Mrs Mosley in "the last mile", as he put it.
He became the trust’s representative on the project board. Mr Forde’s initial interest was in how the facility might cater for water polo.
Battles were waged before his time and the project reached the point of no return, he said.
The trust and the council requested proposals in 2020.
"As indicated previously, we are aiming for a multi-pool facility, which will be efficient, incorporates environmental sustainability, has a low carbon footprint and is delivered on-budget and on-time to serve the Mosgiel, Taieri and wider Dunedin community for many years to come."
The tender was awarded to Cook Brothers Construction.
Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou head Edward Ellison said he observed for years the broad journey to get there.
He was pleased cultural dimensions had been reflected in the complex, linking the pool to its host landscape.
One person at a test run this week was Shelly Vince, who lives in Brighton and who is considering aqua-jogging. As well as a 21-year-old daughter, she has a son at Taieri College.
"We’re looking forward to using it as a family," she said.
Theresa Epskamp is new to Mosgiel, having moved from Whangārei.
"It’s a wonderful facility for the community," she said.
It appeared her 11-year-old son could not get enough of the complex.
She became used to seeing the complex through the lens of many pieces of A4 paper.
Now it was tangible, and ready for the public to experience and enjoy.
A name carved from ancient waterways
The name for the new Mosgiel pool, Te Puna o Whakaehu, acknowledges the original name for Silverstream.
Te Puna translates to "the pool" and Whakaehu is the Kāi Tahu name for the stream that flows next to the building.
The name was given by Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou.
As mana whenua tell the story, the Whakaehu was carved out by a pet taniwha named Matamata.
One night, Matamata awoke to find his master Rakitauneke, a Kāti Māmoe chief, was not there.
Matamata swept over the land, twisting and turning in his quest to find his owner while carving out the bends and turns of the waterways of Whakaehu and Taiari (the correct Kāi Tahu spelling for the traditional name of the river).
After failing to find Rakitauneke, Matamata moved north, where he carved out the Otago Harbour.
On his return, the morning sunlight caught him and petrified his body above Ōtepoti Dunedin.
Matamata remains kaitiaki (guardian) of the Ōtepoti rohe (area).
Rūnanga head Edward Ellison said people would exercise and enjoy themselves at the pool, much like they used to do with the Whakaehu.
"Because of this narrative, it became very obvious that Whakaehu was the natural name for the new pool, because it connects to the land, the place, the wai [water] and the purpose of the pool," he said.
The Dunedin City Council worked with rūnaka-owned consultancy Aukaha to weave mana whenua narrative through the design.
Aukaha lead designer Simon Kaan said Kāi Tahu artist Ephraim Russell incorporated visual depictions.
"As you approach the building, you will be able to see the journey of Matamata," Mr Kaan said.
"Niho taniwha [taniwha teeth] is a symbolic pattern that speaks of a direct lineage of chieftainship and guardianship over land or water."
At a glance
Swimming facilities
Eight-lane 25m lap pool
Leisure pool
Learn-to-swim pool
Hydrotherapy pool
Spa pool
Opening
Dunedin Mayor Jules Radich will open the pool officially on Monday.
The public is invited to assemble at the front of the building at 9am.
A Taieri College kapa haka group and the Mosgiel Brass Band will be part of the celebration.
The first day of operation is due to start at 10am.
Free pool party
The Taieri Community Facilities Trust has organised a family event for next Saturday, June 24.
Public swimming will be free all day.
A pool party will run from 10.30am until 3pm.
