Lakes Leisure chief executive Fiona McKissock yesterday acknowledged Mrs Wells was facing an uncertain time but promised staff from the Queenstown Lakes District Council-controlled company would be talking with her again as soon as possible about the situation.
Mrs Wells is a long standing professional coach and a mother of four boys, who employs five swim teachers and runs a variety of programmes across all ages and abilities.
The Wanaka Swimming Club also uses the pool for learn-to-swim classes and competition programmes while former pool manager, Aspiring Swimmers coach Fiona Fairbairn, runs a private adult swim squad.
The volunteer Wanaka pool management committee this week reached an agreement with Lakes Leisure Ltd, a Queenstown Lakes District Council-controlled company, to manage the pool after deciding a community-governed regime was not working.
As part of the agreement, Lakes Leisure will run its own learn-to-swim programme similar to those at the new Queenstown aquatic centre.
"I'm pretty devastated. It is most likely I won't be able to operate my business at the pool at all," Mrs Wells said when contacted yesterday.
Lakes Leisure employs a staff member to run learn-to-swim classes in Queenstown and a similar role could be considered for Wanaka, Ms McKissock said yesterday.
Mrs Wells said she had contacted Lakes Leisure staff to find out how the agreement will affect her business but said the response had been "vague".
She wanted to know if she could obtain a coaching contract or whether the company would put it out to tender.
She was not sure whether squad training for her competitive swimmers was affected.
Lakes Leisure aquatics general manager Cam Sheppard had apologised to her this week for not being able to outline how the new arrangements would work, Mrs Wells said.
Ms McKissock and Mr Sheppard said in an interview yesterday the management contract was very new and a better understanding of the operation and of user group demands was needed before more details could be announced.
Staff had only been interviewed about their positions yesterday morning and staffing and opening hours for next year were not clear.
The only thing they could categorically say was that the present entry fees would not change on January 5, while they hoped longer and more consistent operating hours would be possible next year.
"It is early days. We don't know all the answers yet," Ms McKissock said.
Ms McKissock said it was important for the company to earn revenue for the ratepayers from learn-to-swim classes, and keep overheads down.
"Commercial operators set it [the fee] to make money. That's money out of a public facility . . . Lakes Leisure wants quality at an affordable price," she said.
Wanaka management committee chairwoman Jude Battson said yesterday she understood the agreement could put Mrs Wells and other private learn-to-swim coaches out of business.
"It is not great news for Stacey to hear that," she agreed.
But learn-to-swim classes were the only way pools could make money, it was time to change the management and the committee should hand over to professionals, Ms Battson said.
Wanaka Swim Club president Roger Gordon could not be contacted for comment yesterday.
Aspiring Swimmers coach Fiona Fairbairn said she welcomed the change but felt for Mrs Wells and the swimming club.
"It is great for the community the council is taking over. I think it will be much better run because the committee was unable to continue to run it effectively," Mrs Fairbairn said.
Mrs Fairbairn said learn-to-swim classes were a "a huge income earner" for other pools but she did not think Lakes Leisure had any interest in taking over competitive squads.
Mrs Fairbairn believed she would have to renegotiate her lane hire contract with Lakes Leisure but she thought Aspiring Swimmers would be able to continue training at the pool.
The decision was based on business factors, not personal factors, she said.
"I think the community needs to sit back and think about what it means in positive terms. I know if I was in Stacey's shoes or a parent of kid learning to swim I would be pretty worried about it too, but I know it will work out and I have faith in it," Mrs Fairbairn said.
Wanaka Pool
• Size: 25m long, six lanes.
• History: Funded and built by Wanaka community groups next to Mt Aspiring College in 1992.
• Operated by: The Wanaka Community Swimming Pool Committee, comprising members from the organisations that helped build the facility.
• Council input: The QLDC has provided an annual grant to help cover operating costs, which was increased from about $65,0000 in 2005 to about $100,000 this year. But the council does not own the pool.
• Future: The QLDC is working through a proposal for a new aquatic centre for Wanaka, which will be council-owned and operated by Lakes Leisure. Debate continues on where the new pool should be built.
• Committee's 2007-08 financial position: Income $208,651; expenses $231,781; debt $23,130. An unknown amount was paid to Mrs Fairbairn in a confidential settlement of an employment dispute in October.
