Hastings District Council has announced the Frimley Pool complex is to be decommissioned, with the pool infrastructure removed
following an extensive review of the facility’s ongoing viability.
The grandstand, main pool buildings, including the changing rooms, plant room, office space and fencing, would be retained for potential future recreational use, the Council confirmed.
In reviewing the future of the complex, Council called for Registrations of Interest (ROI) from sporting and recreation groups who may have alternative uses for the site.
It says that while one formal proposal was received during the ROI process (which was both targeted and more generally publicised), some informal interest was expressed after the ROI period closed. In the end, no organisation chose to proceed to the next stage, leaving Council with no viable external partners to repurpose the complex.
Hastings Mayor, Sandra Hazlehurst said the decision reflected both changing community needs and the financial realities of maintaining older aquatic facilities.
“We understand that many people have fond memories of Frimley Pool, but the data shows usage has been in decline for years. Meanwhile, our Village pools and other aquatic facilities are meeting community demand,” she said.
“This decision, with the grandstand and fencing still in place, ensures we can preserve this area as something of a blank canvas for potential future recreation opportunities.”
Frimley Pool has been under review since the 2024–2034 Long Term Plan process, when declining usage and increasing maintenance costs prompted concerns about its long-term viability. Attendance fell from 15,400 visits in 2018/19 to just 4,800 in 2022/23, with a ratepayer subsidy averaging nearly $26 per visit in that time.
In September last year, a condition assessment found up to $110,000 of urgent repairs would be required to reopen, and more than $750,000 in maintenance costs to keep the facility operating for a further five years.
Since then, Council had explored alternative options for the site, but the ROI process confirmed there was no current interest from sporting or recreation groups in taking it on.
Sport Hawke’s Bay also confirmed that both national and local aquatic strategies do not support further investment in Frimley Pool, instead recommending a focus on smaller, more flexible and leisure-oriented facilities across the district.
Funding for the decommissioning work has been identified within the 2025/26 and 2026/27 operational budgets for Frimley Pool.
