The closure of the local swimming pool in Naenae, Lower Hutt, has pushed a lot of business out of the town centre. The pool brought in a lot of foot traffic for the area but was closed recently after it was found to meet less than 34 percent of the building code.
Pasefika Cuisine is one of the businesses struggling without the pool. The owner of Pasefika Cuisine, Jai, said that closing of the pool was the final nail in the coffin. He said that operations are too expensive to run without people coming in regularly.
A longtime Naenae local, Vincent Tamihere, said that the pool was the heart of the suburb, and it needed to be restored.
There are bids from Hutt City councillor, Campbell Barry to encourage the council to commit funding to the restoration of the pool. He said, “Until you actually put the money in the budget, then there is no certainty for this community, for local businesses, for people who live here and for people who use the swimming pool right across our city because this is such a big asset.”
Options for the pool are said to be discussed around June, before going out to public consultation.
