Demolition of the old Naenae Pool is now fully underway, paving the way for construction to begin on the new facility.

Lower Hutt Mayor Campbell Barry visited the site and the 32-tonne excavator that will bring down the 65-year-old pool and fitness suite.

"Demolition brings us a step closer to rebuilding the Naenae Pool and restoring the beating heart of the town centre," said Campbell Barry.

"The pool holds a lot of special memories for many in the community, and for some, it will be hard to see the old building come down. At the same time, it’s really exciting that we’re finally seeing progress on restoring such an important community facility."

Contractors have removed as much internal material as possible, and the Council project team will be working with those who indicated they would like a memento of the old pool to ensure they are able to own a unique piece of history.

Demolition will begin at the centre of the building and bring down the roof before demolishing the concrete exterior. The project will repurpose up to 80% of existing materials to save it going to landfill.

Demolition is scheduled to conclude in early 2022, with construction of the new facility expected to begin soon after.

Draft concept plans for the $68 million replacement are being reviewed by the community to ensure it fits with their vision and aspirations for their neighbourhood. The draft designs draw on local cultural heritage and align with Council’s wider sustainable, environmental, wellbeing, and leisure goals.

Naenae residents and all former pool users are invited to provide feedback on draft concept designs for the new-look pool. These will be on show at the Coco Pop Up and Naenae Markets between 10am-noon on Saturday mornings and at Naenae library every day until November 8. To find out more or provide feedback, visit:

https://haveyoursay.huttcity.govt.nz/naenae-pool-design

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