Updated 10.26am 14.9.22

Tarras School’s 24 pupils are one step closer to being able to grab their togs and cool off this summer after a funding boost to help fix their dilapidated pool.

School volunteer Liz Carroll-Lowe told the Cromwell Community Board (CCB)this week that swimmers had started sustaining cuts and scratches from the badly damaged lining of the pool. 

Five years ago coating had been applied and the pool was now in “extremely poor condition.”

Prior to it being deemed unusable, local residents had used the pool and in summers it had been utilised daily. 

Attempts to get tradespeople to come and quote for repairs had dragged on, Liz said, and that experience had felt “a little like trying to knit spaghetti”.

Progress had finally been made on costings, other fund-raising activities organised and the CCB agreed on Monday to a $5,000 community grant toward the $75,738.30 total cost.

Other community grants issued by the board were $11,270.00 to the Bannockburn Community centre to resurface the floor of the Coronation Hall and refurbish the church bell tower and $13, 903.50 to the Cromwell Menz Shed Charitable Trust to build a security fence at their new shed site.

One promotional grant was approved to the Cromwell & Districts Community Arts Council for $1,520 to hire a venue for its annual art exhibition held at the Easter holiday weekend.

Board members farewelled

This week’s CCB meeting was the last for the board prior to the coming local body elections.

Mayor Tim Cadogan, board chair Anna Harrison and staff thanked board deputy chair Werner Murray, who has served six years, and Tony Buchanan, who has served three years, for their contributions.

Deputy chairperson Werner Murray is one of eight community board members not standing for re-election across Central Otago.

Four members, two new to the board, are automatically elected due to only four candidates standing for four available seats. They are Bob Scott, Anna Harrison, Mary McConnell and Sarah Browne.  

The Central Otago District Council will appoint a further three people to the board as councillors, from those standing for the Cromwell Ward. The candidates are Nigel McKinlay, David George, Neil Gillespie, Cheryl Laws and Shane Norton. Bob Scott had stood for council but withdrew to avoid causing a by-election for the community board if elected.