Residents choose Eastern Recreation and Sport Centre water toys

Christchurch City Council has approved a range of water toys and other leisure attractions for residents of all ages that will feature in the new Eastern Recreation and Sport Centre on QEII Park.

The Council today agreed with a Burwood–Pegasus Community recommendation to go ahead with a range of water toys that were the most popular choices among residents who responded to the recent Your Play, Your Say campaign.

The six-week Your Play, Your Say campaign finished on 30 October and gave residents the chance to have their say about the water toys and other leisure attractions they would like to see in the new facility when it opens in 2018.

The water toys are:

• A hydroslide
• A water adventure playground
• A toddlers' pool
• A lazy river with strong jets
• Leisure water area with beach entry
• Aqua toys
• Inflatable water toys
The Council today also approved a revised scope for the new Eastern Recreation and Sport Centre. The Burwood–Pegasus Community Board recommended a number of changes to the scope that was approved in June this year, following feedback received during the Your Play, Your Say campaign. The recommendations include reducing the moveable floor to half the pool area; increasing the size of the learners'/warm water pool to a 25 metre by 10 metre pool; increasing the number of multi-function wet/dry rooms and changing the design of the spa pool.

Other features in the original scope that will remain the same include a 25 metre 10-lane pool; a toddlers' pool area; a learn to swim pool; spa pool; steam room and sauna; fitness centre; spin rooms and café.

The water toys and the revised scope will now be presented to architects from Warren and Mahoney, who are currently working on the concept design for the new facility.

Burwood–Pegasus Community Board Chair Andrea Cummings says residents have clearly made their views heard over the water toys and other leisure attractions that will be included in the new Eastern Recreation and Sport Centre. "We wanted to hear from the young people and their families who will be using the new facility and we were thrilled with their feedback, with more than 1000 responses received. We're looking forward to seeing what the architects come up with now that they have a clear direction about how residents want to have fun in their new facility."

During the Your Play, Your Say campaign, residents had the chance to provide feedback online, at drop-in sessions at selected libraries or events such as the New Brighton Markets. The Council received more than 300 ideas from school pupils at schools in the East who presented them to Mayor Lianne Dalziel at an event to launch the campaign on 17 September.

The Council has set aside $37 million to build the new Eastern Recreation and Sport Centre, which includes $6.5 million for water toys and other leisure attractions from Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust. The Council recognises the Trust's generous contribution to this part of the facility.

Construction of the Eastern Recreation and Sport Centre is scheduled to begin in September 2016 and it is expected the facility will open in 2018.

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