The Wharenui Swimming club is disappointed the council will stop funding the pool once the new metro sports centre opens.

Public support for Wharenui Pool forced the Christchurch City Council to reconsider its future after it had originally decided to decommission the pool.

Instead it will cease funding Wharenui pool in any capacity.

Club President Chris Averill said the council is simply walking away from its documented commitments to the community and the children of Wharenui school, by handing full responsibility and future commitments to the Wharenui Swim Club at no cost to the Council.

He said this move means the council will save themselves approximately $1.2 million dollars in decommissioning costs, while at the same time taking no further responsibility for the pool.

In a further disappointment to the club, Chris Averill said that over the last six weeks the Club and Council have been working together to ensure the pool would remain open, and to have this sudden change in direction came as a real surprise.

“We felt the Council was honouring its obligation under the Deed of Trust, but clearly we were wrong.”

The City Council in its statement, staff will “continue to work in partnership with Wharenui Swimming Club to develop an operational and capital plan”.