Moana Pool Maintenance Planned

Dunedin (Friday, 27 June 2014) - Maintenance work on Moana Pool’s main pool and leisure pool will periodically affect patrons’ use during July and early August.

While never entirely closed, areas of the main pool will be restricted from 7-14 July while the bulkhead (the mobile pool divider that spans the width of the main pool) is replaced.

The leisure pool and spa will be closed and drained between 28 July and 8 August to allow for general maintenance to tiles, grouting, pool-side stairs, water storage tanks and overhead Dunedin City Council Aquatic Services Manager Paulien Leijnse says, “The main pool’s existing bulkhead is quite old. Any maintenance work on it would require either draining the pool or lifting the bulkhead out.

“The new bulkhead design will also allow Moana’s main pool to comply with FINA (the world governing body for swimming sports) regulations. This will allow Moana Pool to hold New Zealand championship level events with FINA standards.

“The aim is that the main pool will never be entirely closed during the bulkhead replacement.

The deep end will remain open the majority of the time, but the shallow end will be more affected. Lane swimming will still be possible, although this may involve lanes across the width of the pool and fewer lanes at times. Unfortunately there will be some disruption, and safety will take priority.”

Ms Leijnse says the decision to replace the bulkhead during the school holidays is the most logical as the demand on main pool space is lowest at this time.

The leisure pool and spa’s maintenance work will take place after the school holidays. As well as general maintenance, the balance tank that stores the clean water destined for the leisure pool will be checked. The pool’s filters and pumps will all be checked and if necessary, replaced. The spa pool’s main filter will be replaced, to further improve its water quality and “The leisure pool is showing signs of wear and tear,” Ms Leijnse says. “While it is empty, it makes sense to do as much work as we can. We don’t want to be emptying it again soon.”

For safety reasons the spa pool and rapid river will be closed for a period of hours while sections of the old bulkhead are taken out, and again when the new bulkhead’s three 600-700kg sections are moved into place.

Gym Supervisor Chris Bisley says, “After the bulkhead replacement is complete, minor tile maintenance will be carried out in the main pool’s deep end. Once again, this will not mean the pool’s closure, thanks to the development of a ‘tile tank’. This unique piece of equipment, produced locally, enables small areas of the pool to be sectioned off, drained and repaired.

“We have small and large versions of the tile tanks. Aquatic Services had the concept and our Maintenance Supervisor Brent Cunningham liaised with Stainless and Alloy Fabrications in Mosgiel who designed, developed and manufactured them. Taking into account the huge cost and disruption of draining the entire main pool for maintenance, the development of this tool is quite cost effective. We’re very proud of these tile tanks and we’ve already had interested enquiries from other regions’ pools.”

Ms Leijnse adds, “These projects mean the pools will be in great shape ahead of our Moana Pool 50th anniversary celebrations in November.”

ends

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