An interview with Leisure Facilities Manager Jason Rogers

It may not be obvious to the eye at first but since Livingstone were announced as Council’s preferred contractor in late February; a lot of work has been going on behind the scenes. We talk to Council’s leisure facilities manager Jason Rogers about progress to date.

<eNews> It’s been awhile since the Gremara digger first broke ground in February, and the site itself appears unchanged. Has there been a hold up in the project?

<Jason> Not at all. Like any large scale construction project, the Hydrotherapy Pool is working to a scheduled work plan, and the project is currently running on time. There are a number of key things about the project which mean that we need to take some time to undertake prepatory work before full construction begins – such as retrofitting the new pool systems to the existing Waterworld systems, ensuring the ground underneath the construction site is clear of gas, water or electricity lines and choosing the right fittings, like a hoist and handrails, to serve the special needs of the pool users.

All of this work goes toward future-proofing the pool so that we are getting the best value for money we can and a pool that will serve the people who need it for many generations to come…Read more

To make that happen, the Waterworld operations team have been working closely with Livingstone as they transform their conceptual design into a detailed design to ensure the Hydrotherapy Pool is as easy to run and maintain as practically possible. This will also minimise downtime for maintenance.

Really importantly, our investigations found that:

• Existing services in the building would not be compatible with the new pool, because of their age and having no ability to upgrade. This will mean the whole Waterworld complex will need a new main power switchboard and Building Management System.
  
• Because it sits underneath the construction site, the electrical main servicing the Waterworld complex needs to be moved. Until the detailed design was complete and the final building footprint was locked in there was a risk that we could move the cable into a location where it could still affect the works.
  
• The existing pump room didn’t have enough capacity to take on the new pool so a new pump room will be required.

<eNews> Does this mean there will be a delay to the project?

<Jason> Not at this stage. As with any well-planned project, there is time built into the project plan to undertake preparatory work and deal with any unforeseen issues that may arise from it. These works will be carried out over the next few months, in keeping with the current work plan. However, no project is risk free and while we have done our best to investigate and remedy all risks at this stage, we can not plan the weather. The biggest risk for Council at present is the ground conditions should rain continue and the ground become saturated. Construction will need to pause to allow the water table to subside. Ground water monitoring will take place however and a monitoring device will soon be installed on site.

<eNews> Sounds like a complex project. What kind of progress can we expect from hereon in?

<Jason> Running up until mid-July we’ll be tying up the loose ends on this preparatory work and making sure all the building permits are rock solid and in place.

The design is at Building Consent stage which means that the design is just about complete. The design is currently being reviewed by an independent Engineer

The review looks at: the pool’s ability to reach the required temperature and sustain that temperature; how it will maintain a high water quality, including circulating water well without any ‘dead spots’, systems for heating the pool area and minimising humidity for poolside helpers and lifeguards; processes for handling pool chemicals and staff safety; how suitable the plant room is.

Once the review is complete we will be able to submit the Building Consent and, allowing for 20 days turnaround, it is expected that this process will be completed by mid July. Site work cannot start until the Resource Consent and Building Consent have been issued.

At the same time as this work is taking place, Livingstone have been busy ensuring key orders are in place. An order has been sent through to Myrtha Pool systems. The pool is currently being manufactured in Italy and will be shipped to New Zealand when complete. The structural components are being ordered and manufacturing of these items will commence very soon.

During the next few weeks the WEL power cable will be moved and hoardings to the existing facility next to the break-through point will be built.