Why do we need a community ownership of the swimming pool?

AI generated image of a swimming pool (Sheffield Pool may not look like it), generated by perchance.org

My submission in 2024 March about the Sheffield Swimming Pool

This is how the Sheffield Memorial Pool looks like now, note this is an open to air swimming pool.

In my last submission to the Selwyn District Council in New Zealand last year March (2024 March), I argued that swimming pools in communities are important. I argued that they are important because they not only allow children to be swim-smart and people in the community a space for rest and relaxation and easy exercise, particularly for the elderly and seniors iin the community, presence of a body of water body is useful in any community in times of climate change and global warming [1]. I spoke how in places such as Canterbury and a small town such as Sheffield which is open to fire seasons, presence of a swimming pool will help in firefighting. I also spoke about the possibilities that if an easily available publicly maintained swimming pool were available, children in the neighbourhood would be encouraged to learn swimming, swimming being a life-skill. I argued that Sheffield Pool has a historic importance, that being a Memorial Pool in the memory of NZ war veterans in the WWII.

What happened then

Fortunately for us in the community, following the consultation process (I was only one among hundreds in the community as well, both for and against the pool who responded and some of them went to the council hearing), the Council decided that they would like to keep the swimming pool in Sheffield and have it repaired, and that, the maintenance of the pool should be in the hands of the local community. A community of people were formed, and now is time for another hearing where I will offer to present my view as to why we need it as a community run and maintained pool. So in this document, I’d like to explain why we need to have community ownership of the pool. Here is the webpage that details the call:

https://yoursay.selwyn.govt.nz/sheffield-memorial-pool

What am I arguing now?

The council has asked the following three questions:

• If you support the transition of the Sheffield Memorial Pool asset from Council ownership and operation to a community-run legal entity.
• If you are aware of a community-run legal entity that you consider suitable to own and operate the Sheffield Memorial Pool.
• If you are interested in helping this group with the ongoing operation of this facility

I strongly support the transition of the Sheffield Memorial Pool from Council ownership to a community run entity. There are several benefits and exemplars.

Why community ownership matters

The Local Government United Kingdom defines community assets or space as buildings or land used for health or social interet of the local community. Among the several benefits they have identified, harnessing of the collective capacity and social values are predominant themes. In turn these ensure that people can take ownership of their own assets and can help to generate new revenue streams, increase in the local property prices, and reduction of pressure on the local councils to find money to support them. This is a win-win situation according to the local government council of the United Kingdom and on their website they provide several exemplars as to how local pools and football clubs when they were transferred to the local community thrived. They define social values in terms of broader understanding of value beyond. money, instead putting emphasis on engaging people to understand the impact of the decisions on their lives and they state that this perspective is critical.

Perhaps a reference to the “curb cut effect” is in order. A curb cut effect is one where when the curb on the footpath was cut to facilitate transport and movement of people with disability, it led to other unintended benefits. Here’s a nice “sketchplanation” that portrays the many benefits:

Curb cut effect (courtesy: sketchplanations, see https://sketchplanations.com/the-curb-cut-effect for the original article)

What are the ways in which the Council can help?

These items in the list are from the Local Government Documentation.

• Provide support in kind — example: access to property manaement, accounting expertise within the council; in case of Sheffield Memorial Pool the Selwyn District Council has already been quite proactive in arranging for lifeguards, and some maintenance, this can be reinforced.
• Allow small grants for pre-feasibility and feasibility work, particularly with respect to maintenance and remodelling, as the pool is in need of repair and then maintenance. It must be noted that when the pool was in the hand of the local community, it was not only well used, it was also well maintained. Only after it was transferred to the Selwyn District Council, the repair and routine maintenance was not followed up.
• Provide information on the maintenance requirements and costs (SDC has already done so and we believe they will continue to do so)
• Recognise longer timescales that community orgs need to work, if they are to have the support and involvement of their comms
• Recognise the value of investing initial capital
• Retain responsibility of infrequent but core maintenance costs
• Provide free or subsidised training in key skills
• Build a support network
• Be flexible in arranging meetings and trainings to suit people’s work
• Allow longer deadlines into apply for tenders if they are calling them where the lcoal community can apply