The issue came up at yesterday's Cromwell Community Board meeting, with board chairman Neil Gillespie saying he had fielded complaints from people angry the opening hours had been cut.
Mr Gillespie said the first Saturday closing took place last weekend and the new regime was expected to remain until the end of March.
"The situation is one I'm less than impressed with, as are a number of people in our community.
Feedback [suggests] the situation should have been foreseen and should not have happened," he said.
Mr Gillespie said Central Otago District Council staff should act urgently to rectify the staff shortage and open the pool.
CODC chief executive officer John Cooney, who was at yesterday's meeting, told the board he and the council's community facility manager were looking into the issue and one answer may be shorter Saturday opening hours.
Mr Gillespie said people told him they were not aware staff vacancies had been advertised, and wondered why Saturday had been chosen for closure.
CODC district aquatic centres manager Nicola Smith told the Otago Daily Times jobs at the swim centre had been advertised "on and off" for about a year. There was a lack of trained lifeguards in the area.
"It's an issue of safety . . . if we don't have the right number of people, it's not safe to open.
This sort of thing has happened in Gore and Invercargill," she said.
People used the pool least on Saturdays, she said.
Mrs Smith said about five new staff were needed for the pool to open all week.
A fire damaged the centre in June last year and that closure had resulted in a few staff losses, she said.
Staff from Molyneux Aquatic Centre at Alexandra had helped out, but could not be expected to cover full-time staff shortages, she said.
"We hope that by mid to late March this will be sorted and won't happen again," Mrs Smith said.
The swim centre is normally open from 9am to 6pm on Saturday.
