Khandallah Pool will remain closed throughout the 2026/27 summer as Wellington City Council prepares for a $7.5 million refurbishment of the century-old facility.
The council says keeping the pool closed will allow site surveys, investigations and enabling works to take place before construction, which is currently planned to begin in February 2027.
The existing pool has also suffered storm-related damage and could require repairs before it could safely operate for another summer.
Council officials decided spending money on short-term repairs would provide poor value because the existing facilities are due to be replaced as part of the refurbishment.
Keeping the site closed is also expected to reduce the risk of delays to the construction programme.
Councillor Diane Calvert, chair of the council’s Te Taurapa Council Planning and Finance Committee, said the project followed a long community campaign to retain the pool.
“The pool is over 100 years and has only had one major upgrade in its history, back in the 1960s,” Calvert said.
“This is more than a community pool, it is treasured by locals and used by people across the city as it forms the gateway up to Mt Kaukau, one of the most popular tracks in Wellington.”
The future of Khandallah Pool has been debated for several years as the council considered the cost of upgrading the ageing facility.
In 2024, closure and landscaping of the site was among the options considered as the council looked for savings.
A petition opposing closure attracted more than 3300 signatures.
The council ultimately agreed to proceed with remediation of the pool, with $7.5 million allocated to the project.
Its amended Long-term Plan confirms the decision to retain Khandallah Pool and provides $7.5 million in capital funding for the work.
Council chief operating officer James Roberts said the latest closure would disappoint residents who had expected the pool to reopen this summer.
“We know the 101-year-old Khandallah Pool is a much-loved community facility and that many people were looking forward to seeing it re-open this coming summer, but the project is now moving into a critical phase.”
He said keeping the site closed would allow the council to complete the investigations and preparatory work needed before construction rather than spending money repairing facilities that are due to be replaced.
The council is planning a public meeting at Khandallah Town Hall from 5.45pm to 7pm on September 1, where residents can view the designs and speak with the project team.
