134 | Hutt City Council & Apollo Projects: Te Ngaengae Pool + Fitness New pool a new chapter for Naenae “Now, with the opening of a bigger and more sustainable facility, those memories and experiences will continue, and be even better for our people.” COMMUNITY T T Kelly Deeks Two parts of the three-part urban regeneration project in Naenae, Lower Hutt have now been delivered to the community, with the opening in early December 2024 of the new and award-winning Te Ngaengae Pool + Fitness, New Zealand’s first aquatic facility to be awarded a Green Star Five rating. When the old pool was closed in 2019 due to seismic issues, Hutt City Council decided to rebuild in a community-led redevelopment, and use the project as a catalyst to revitalise Naenae’s town centre. Te Mako Naenae Community Centre, located in the Heritage Category 1 Naenae Post Office and clock tower building at Hillary T T to page 136 Court, opened in June 2024. Home to a community kitchen, flexible open-plan spaces, and shared office-style meeting rooms, Te Mako has been designed in consultation with the community, providing a place for people to gather, connect, access services, and take part in programmes and events. The opening of Te Ngaengae Pool + Fitness marks a new chapter for Naenae, and the restoration of the beating heart of the community. With a price tag of $68 million, it is one of Lower Hutt’s most significant infrastructure projects. The 50m Olympic pool has 10 lanes and two moveable bulkheads, so multiple activities can take place in different parts of the pool at the same time. A moveable floor enables the end of the pool to be raised to shallow depths for learn-to-swim classes or at depth for under-water hockey. A second leisure pool has a shallow section for family fun, and a deeper section with ramp access, seating, hydrotherapy jets, and two zoom tubes for double the fun. There is a splash pool for little kids and a bookable poolside birthday party room. The fitness centre and outdoor BBQ area round out this iconic new regional attraction. Designed for universal access, Te Ngaengae Pool + Fitness has near-level access to all pool facilities, except for the stairs to the zoom tubes and the bleacher seating. Affordability has also been addressed with Hutt City Council recently announcing that where whānau have a Community Services Card, their tamariki aged 10 and under swim free across the whole pool network. Proudly supporting Hutt City Council & Apollo Projects on the Naenae Fitness Centre Project Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Equipment Supply, Ice Banks, Water/Glycol Chillers, Heat Recovery Energy Efficient Engineering, 24 Hour Service, Design Build, Preventative Maintenance, Supply & Installation.
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