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A graphic comparing prices for swimming pool entrance at a range of places throughout the country. Photo: Supplied/ Otago Daily Times
A casual dip in most public pools in Dunedin costs more than in almost any other centre in New Zealand, but the swimmers paying top dollar are further north.
The $8.40 fee to take a single adult swim at Dunedin's Moana Pool, St Clair Hot Salt Water Pool or Mosgiel's Te Puna o Whakaehu facility is at the expensive end of charges nationally, a dive into some figures shows. The prices when up 10 percent in July.
However, it is not the most expensive.
Tauranga City Council charges $9.40 for a single adult entry to swim at its Baywave complex, which is a fancy facility that includes the biggest wave pool in New Zealand among its pools, and for an extra fee, a hydroslide, spa pool, steam room and sauna.
The single entry cost to the Tauranga's other pools is $6.90, but it does also have some hot pools, which will cost an adult $27.30 per casual visit.
Dunedin City Council, too, has a cheaper option at Port Chalmers, where the fee for a casual swim is $5.30.
Pools at Tauranga and Dunedin have remained popular.
The Baywave complex in Mt Maunganui draws about 300,000 visitors a year.
Mosgiel's new pool, Te Puna o Whakaehu, is in its second year of operation and it has had more visitors than expected.
The year to June 2024 brought 160,561 visits, after a business case for the pool had a marker of 140,000 visits.
Demand for pool space across all of Dunedin City Council's aquatic facilities was a constant challenge at peak times, a report for the community services committee said in October.
"We have competing sports like water polo, diving, underwater hockey [and] synchronised swimming, all competing for deep-water space, along with our aqua jogging population, casual users and aqua aerobics classes."
Refurbishment work was carried out at Moana Pool, located in the hills above the Octagon, but a plan to get new hydroslides was dumped last year.
The price to swim once at the city's outdoor hot saltwater pool is the same as at the Moana or Mosgiel facilities, which each have several different pools to choose from.
Other pools throughout the motu
Hamilton City Council charges $8.30 for a casual swim at its main pool complex, where the hydroslide, hydrotherapy pool and spa cost extra. It is $7.70 at a smaller two-pool aquatic centre.
Auckland Council charges adults $8 for a single swim at its pools, throughout the city, though it is free at Ōtāhuhu.
There is an extra $2 cost if you want to use spas or saunas as well.
Parnell Baths, which boasts New Zealand's largest saltwater swimming pool, as well as a Lido pool and a family spa pool included in the price, charges the $8 fee, as do the historic Tepid Baths, where there are three pools to choose from, as well as sauna and steam rooms.
Also in the cheapest swim category, it is free to swim at the Moana Nui-a-Kiwa Pool and the Ōtara Pool in Auckland.
Wellington's pools generally cost $7.20 for a single swim, as does Invercargill's Splash Palace, while the Christchurch City Council charges $6.70 for a casual swim in its pools.
New Plymouth's main city pool is $6.50 a pop, while community pools around the district will cost an adult only $3 a casual swim.
Napier's pools cost $6.30.
Most places charge extra to use hydroslides, spas and saunas.
The councils have concession rates, which are significantly cheaper.
- APL
