DRAFT Community Facilities Asset Management Plan Aquatics

Transcription

1 DRAFT Community Facilities Asset Management Plan Aquatics Please note that the following Community Facilities Asset Management Plan - Aquatics is in DRAFT as an input to the DRAFT Long Term Plan. The consultation period for the DRAFT Long Term Plan closes on 3 rd May More information can be found at

2 Community Facilities Asset Management Plan Community Facilities Asset Management Plan Aquatics September Community Facilities Asset Management Plan 3

3 1 Introduction Aim and Purpose Plan Structure Summary Key Risks Key Projects Key Financial Implications Key Improvement Areas Summary of Assets/Scheme or Asset Group Council Owned Aquatic Facilities Makino Aquatic Centre Pohangina Old School Reserve Pool Community Owned Pools School Pools Operation of Activity/Scheme or Asset Group Summary Makino Aquatic Centre Pohangina Old School Reserve Community Owned Aquatic Facilities School Pools Physical Parameters Summary Makino Aquatic Centre Pohangina Old School Reserve Community Pools School Pools Makino Aquatic Centre Pohangina Old School Reserve Community Pools School Pools Makino Aquatic Centre Community and School Pools Asset Capacity/Performance Summary Makino Aquatic Centre Community and School Pools Levels of Service Understanding Customer Expectations Makino Aquatic Centre Customer Surveys Community Satisfaction Customer Satisfaction Survey Facebook Ratings Changing Customer Expectations Emerging Activities Baby Boomer Expectations Aquatic Education Community Swimming Pools Declining School Pool Usage Expectations Relating to Access Legislative, Strategic, External and Internal Contexts Council Vision and Outcomes Makino Aquatic Centre Business Plan Makino Precinct Development

4 2.4.4 Aquatic Services Review Energy Costs Affordability Climate Change Rural School Access/ End of Swim for Life Funding Rural Pool Sustainability and Equity Health and Safety at Work Act Ministry of Education Focus on Swimming Competition Legislative and Industry Standard Context Current Levels of Service Activity Performance Desired Levels of Service Future Demand Demand Drivers Population and Demographic Changes Customer Survey Feedback on Demand Demand Forecasts and Impacts on Assets Financial Plan Operating Funding Requirements Summary New Operational Funding Requirements Key Drivers of New Operating Funding Renewal Funding Requirements Summary of Renewal Funding Requirements Development Funding Requirements Summary of Development Funding Requirements Key Drives of Development Funding Requirements Risk Management Risk Context Aquatics Risk Assessment Matrix Routine Operations and Maintenance Plan Operations and Maintenance Plan Day to Day Management Strategic and Asset Management Programme Management Operational Tasks and Duties Customer and Administration Functions Operations and Maintenance Strategy Reactive Maintenance Planned/Preventative Maintenance Grounds Maintenance Summary of Future Operating Costs District Wide Operational Projects Renewal Plan Identification of Renewals Districtwide Renewal Projects Summary of Renewal Costs Makino Aquatic Centre Lifecycle Plan

5 8.1 Summary of Lifecycle Asset Description Makino Aquatic Centre Indoor 25metre Pool Learners Pool Indoor Splash Pad Reception, Retail and Community Meeting Rooms Outdoor Pools and Grounds Plant Rooms Asset Condition Summary of Condition Assessment Operations and Renewal Strategy Operational Projects Renewal Projects Development Projects Disposal Plan Appendices Condition Assessment Summary

6 1 Introduction 1.1 Aim and Purpose The purpose of the Aquatics Services Asset Management Plan set is to create a comprehensive single document that summarises and highlights the issues, operational plans and renewal, capital and disposal projects, and improvement requirements for the Aquatic Services activity. Specifically, this plan aims to: 1. Ensure that the asset management requirements, which includes maintenance and renewal requirements, are appropriately funded, prioritised and scheduled; 2. Form the baseline document to work with Elected Members to identify capital or maintenance requirements to meet the community s needs now and into the future; 3. Plan for the management of assets in a fit for purpose and safe manner; 4. Understand the relationship between physical assets and the role of these assets in the delivery of Levels of Service (LoS) linked to the Long Term Plan; This plan aims to achieve a core level of asset management sophistication. 1.2 Plan Structure This separate Aquatic Services Asset Management Plan forms part of the Community Facilities Asset Management Plan Activity Summary for for Manawatu District Council (MDC). This is the first time since 2009, that the Aquatic Services activity has been separated out as a standalone plan, providing Officers, Elected Members and the Community with a comprehensive single document that summarises the activity. This Activity Plan should be read in conjunction with the Community Facilities Asset Management Plan Activity Summary. How this plan links to the Community Facilities Asset Management Plan Activity Summary is detailed below. Community Facilities Strategic Asset Management Plan Provides summary of Community Facilities activities Aquatics, Parks and Sportsgrounds, Organisational Management, Cemeteries, Public Conveniences and Libraries Describes and highlights overall Community Facilities Activity demand and levels of service, asset responses, key issues and approaches to improvement. Community Facilities Asset Management Plan - Aquatics Provides specific detail of the Aquatics Activity Specifically describes and highlights demand, levels of service, asset responses and issues, approaches to development and improvement of the Aquatics Activity. 1.3 Summary The Aquatics Activity encompasses all of the Aquatic facilities across Councils assets through the District. Primarily this plan focusses on the Makino Aquatic Centre (the Makino ) and its operations and assets, however it also considers provision of Aquatic services at rural locations only. The asset component is not considered. 7

7 Council provides Aquatic Services because it gives opportunities for communities, clubs, organisations and individuals to enjoy a variety of water and recreation pursuits. It also provides private benefits to individuals and groups such as relaxation, health, sport and fitness, developing confidence in the water and water safety education. This enhances social and cultural wellbeing by providing opportunities not available elsewhere in the District. For the purposes of this plan, access to water spaces such as rivers or open water courses for sports such as canoe polo, have not been considered at this time. The Makino is one of two Aquatic facilities provided by the Manawatu District being considered in this plan, being the Makino and the Pohangina Old School Reserve Pool. Council also provides funding to some rural pools for operational funding. There is an inconsistent approach to how this is done with some rural pools receiving nothing. There is no dedicated fund for funding for rural pools throughout the District. 1.4 Key Risks The key risks that are considered unacceptable in relation to Councils Risk appetite for the Aquatics Activity are identified in the table below. For an analysis of all identified risks affecting the Aquatics assets, see Part A the Community Facilities Strategic Asset Management Plan. Risk Description Issue: Serious Incident or fatality in the Aquatic Facility Risk: Long Term decline in staff confidence/morale Significant or sustained negative publicity or damage to Councils reputation on a national or regional level Breach resulting in prosecution, imprisonment or fines Issue: Failure of Services such as no water supply, blocked sewer, pump or plant failure or failed power Risk: Disruption to delivery of services - sometimes longer term Limited one-off local or regional negative publicity Adverse inspection comments from a health perspective Risk in relation to Appetite Unacceptable Unacceptable Further Controls or Treatments Proposed Every effort is made to mitigate the unacceptable risks inherent in the operations, however the risks overall still cannot be fully mitigated or avoided Investigate motion/detection cameras to prevent possible drownings Improve natural and artificial light in the 25 metre pool to see the pool clearly Undertake and implement criticality based asset management Explore options for backup power generation and plant redundancies Plan to invest in plant that can operate in parallel e.g. pumps in tandem Ensure planned maintenance and renewal of critical assets such as water or sewer pumps are planned for and undertaken Ensure detailed planned and preventative maintenance is in place Note: There are limited options to mitigate the risk of reticulated water supply failure, other than 8

8 Issue: Major catastrophic event as a result of chemical or gas incident Risk: Unplanned loss of a number of key personnel Long Term loss of critical asset/building Significant or sustained negative publicity or damage to Councils reputation on a national or regional level Breach resulting in prosecution, imprisonment or fines. Issue: Theft or stock/private property and assault of staff or public Risk: Ongoing lack of staff confidence and low staff morale Breach resulting in ministry enquiry, fines, warnings to senior management Limited one-off local or regional negative publicity. Issue: Building damage or loss from natural disaster e.g. earthquake or extreme weather event. Disruption to delivery of services - sometimes longer term Significant or sustained negative publicity or damage to Councils reputation Loss of budgeted revenue Ongoing lack of staff confidence and low staff morale. Issue: Non-compliance with NZ5826 water quality criteria and frequency of testing of public pools. Disruption to delivery of services - sometimes longer term Significant or sustained negative publicity or damage to Councils reputation. Adverse inspection comments from a health perspective Loss of budgeted revenue. Unacceptable Unacceptable Unacceptable Unacceptable by providing ancillary water services. No provision to provide this services is made in this plan Ongoing staff training Every effort is made to mitigate the unacceptable risks inherent in the operations, however the risks overall still cannot be fully mitigated or avoided Investigate options and cost benefit of changes to chemical handling, use, type, volume and location. Extend CCTV cameras into unmanned/unsupervised areas Every effort is made to mitigate the unacceptable risks inherent in the operations, however the risks overall still cannot be fully mitigated or avoided Continue current controls plus design to reduce impact of weather events for new sites to ensure soils and foundation designs have appropriate seismic resistance qualities. Continue current controls and train qualified treatment operators for the facility Bacteriological testing arranged on a regular basis Testing equipment replaced on an annual basis. 9

9 1.5 Key Projects The key projects identified for the Aquatics activity in this plan for the period of are detailed in the table below. These projects have been identified as the key projects to address demand and expected increases in levels of services identified in this plan. Asset Project Description Years Value Makino Aquatic Centre Makino Aquatic Centre Makino Aquatic Centre Makino Aquatic Centre Makino Aquatic Centre Makino Aquatic Centre Pool Cover Replacements The existing pool covers for the outdoor 50m and learners pools are reaching end of life. Pool covers are essential to protect water quality and heat retention. Replacement Roof for Old Plant Room A full replacement of the existing roof is required. The current roof is prone to leaks and has compromised the roof structure. This work was out of scope during the 2015/16 renovation of the facility. Hydrotherapy Pool Development As an extension to the existing facility, construct a fit for purpose hydrotherapy pool to meet the existing and future growth in demand from the aging population for low impact, therapeutic aquatic activity. Upgrade Outdoor Pool Filtration The current water quality system is outdated and not fit for purpose. During peak operating hours water quality can be compromised and closures are frequent. A new filtration system will improved levels of service and reduce pool closures. Upgrade Outdoor Pool Concourse and pool tiling The current pool surround and hard surface areas need replacing. The majority of all hard surface areas from the original build in 1972 have become worn and could compromise user safety. Toddler Pool Improvements The existing pool struggles during peak times and during school holidays to cater for young swimmers looking for water play. Opportunity to expand the current pool to include lazy lanes and beach entry. 1 $100,000 3 $100,000 4 $3.89m 7 $250,000 7 $250, $775, Key Financial Implications Note key financial implications once data fully uploaded in September 1.7 Key Improvement Areas Over years two and three of the plan improvements need to be made to existing main plant room. This was not included in the 2015/16 redevelopment of the Makino and a replacement roof and main electrical board is required. Also identified in this plan is improvement projects to enhance the Outdoor Pool and surrounds. Water Filtration needs to be separated into two systems to avoid lengthy closures when contamination occurs. The main Outdoor 50metre pool concourse needs to be repaired with cracks and chipped concrete being repaired on a frequent basis. 10

10 1.8 Summary of Assets/Scheme or Asset Group The Aquatic Services Assets have been split into three different categories, relating to their ownership status and operation. The three different categories of aquatic services are Council owned aquatic facilities, community owned and school pools. A breakdown of the assets by category is shown in the table below relating to their ownership status are as follows: Council owned Aquatic facilities Makino Aquatic Centre Pohangina Old School Reserve Pool Community owned Sanson Community Pool School pools Rongotea School Pool Hiwinui School Pool Kiwitea School Pool Oroua Downs School Halcombe School Pool Kimbolton School Pool Waituna West School Pool St Joseph School Pool Feilding Intermediate School Pool Feilding High School Pool Council Owned Aquatic Facilities There are two Council owned Aquatic facilities being the Makino Aquatic Centre and the Pohangina Old School Reserve Pool Makino Aquatic Centre The Makino features an indoor 25 metre indoor pool, learn to swim pool, splash pad, play pool, offices and community meeting rooms, family change rooms, an outdoor 50 metre pool, dive pool, play pool and splash pool. The facility is used for a range of programmes and activities, including learn to swim, aqua fitness, general recreation use and other aquatic activities. 11

11 In 2016, the Makino underwent a major redevelopment, including substantial demolition and reconstruction of the facility. This included the renewal and upgrading of the offices, changing rooms and the construction of a new learn to swim pool, splash pad, offices and meeting rooms Pohangina Old School Reserve Pool The Pohangina Old School Reserve Pool is a concrete pool tank structure and changing rooms that forms part of the Old Pohangina School Reserve. Operated by way of a local contractor paid for by Council, the facility is used by the local community on a key systems Community Owned Pools The Sanson Pool is the only community owned pool. The pool is in a shared community and Ministry of Education ownership. A Memorandum of Understanding is in place for the structure, which occupies Councils recreation reserve. While Council has no ownership of the pool structure or asset management responsibility, as the building is on Council land, Council still has legislative responsibilities to ensure the safety and compliance of the building from a Building Act and Health and Safety perspective School Pools There are a number of school pools throughout the District. While the assets are not included in this plan, the consideration of how the local school pools are funded to provide Aquatic services across the District are included in this plan. 1.9 Operation of Activity/Scheme or Asset Group Summary Makino Aquatic Centre The Makino is managed and operated in-house by Manawatu District Council staff, responsible for the management of the plant, building, and services delivered including learn to swim. The maintenance of the building is undertaken by nominated contractors. Day to day operation of the service is managed by the Aquatics and Recreation Manager. The asset management functions of the facilities are jointly managed by the Community Facilities Manager and the Aquatics and Recreation Manager Pohangina Old School Reserve The Pohangina Old School Reserve Pool is owned and operated by Council. The pool is on Recreation Reserve, with Council paying a local contractor to maintain and operate the pool, paying all power, chemical and operating costs some few thousand dollars each year. A key system is used by the local community, operated the School Reserve Committee Community Owned Aquatic Facilities The Sanson Community Pool is operated by a local committee with Incorporated Society Status. Council has no direct management responsibility over the assets or services at this location. The Pool Committee regularly request funding support from Council which is regularly declined. Council has a legal responsibility under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 and the Building Act

12 1.9.4 School Pools Council has no responsibility whether it be operational or assets with the rural school pools. Council has historically made operational grants to two schools. However, this has not been applied consistently with some schools receiving a greater grant than others. Other schools are not aware of any potential grant, there is no policy or budget established for funding school pools. Currently, the two pools are funded in an inconsistent manner, with $600 for the two schools being funded by the Makino Aquatic Centre Physical Parameters Summary Makino Aquatic Centre The Makino Aquatic Centre is owned by the Manawatu District Council. The majority of the Makino Aquatic Centres assets date back to their commission dates between 1972 and 1975 with the indoor complex constructed in In 2016, a significant upgrade was undertaken to the complex. While none of the plant or outdoor pool tanks were upgraded or modified, all of the original change rooms and front of house were demolished. The 1992 indoor pool reticulation, plant room and superstructure remained in place, with all of the other components being demolished or replaced and upgraded. New changing rooms, entrance offices, new learn to swim, splash pad and upgrade of the overall complex was undertaken Pohangina Old School Reserve The Pohangina Old School Reserve Pool is owned by the Manawatu District Council. There is no construction date of the Pohangina Old School Reserve Pool, however the pool shell and change rooms are estimated to have had a construction date of the 1950/60 era. The pool plant appears to have been replaced in the early circa 2000 s Community Pools The Sanson Community Pool has a construction era of the late 1990 s. The pool is owned by the community with the underlying land owned by the Manawatu District Council School Pools The school pools across the District have a very broad range of ages. Many school pools are of the typical era of the 1950/60 concrete tank construction. Each pool is owned by the Ministry of Education. Condition Makino Aquatic Centre The vast majority of the Makino Aquatic Centre is in excellent condition following the completion of the major redevelopment of the centre that finished in July

13 As part of this development however, little renewal was provided to the plantrooms and outdoor pools. This AMP features considerable renewal for these assets not replaced as part of the 2016 Redevelopment Project Pohangina Old School Reserve Community Pools The Sanson Community Pool structure appears in good condition, however no formal assessment of the condition of the facility or plant has been undertaken School Pools Many of the schools pools and key components have reached the end of the their economic life or have already been closed. Pools such as the Rongotea School Pool require significant upgrading and have been closed due to health and safety concerns. As part of this plan, no condition grading or assessment of school pools have been made Usage Makino Aquatic Centre A variety of users groups access the Makino. With a growing aging population there is increasing demand for group aqua fitness activities with both fitness and social benefits. Continued feedback from users is the provision of Hydrotherapy, utilising warmer water for physical and mental wellbeing. There has also been an increase in the number of aquatic sports played in the Makino that include Flippa Ball, Canoe Polo and tri-sports. Traditional activities such as club swimming are still popular with children transitioning from Learn to Swim programmes into the competitive environment. Two resident swim clubs provide training and competition. Learn to Swim is one the most popular programmes at the Makino. Qualified swim instructors provide lessons to over 500 children. Aquatic education is also delivered to eight local schools with the facility hosting gala s and interschool competitions. 14

14 Community and School Pools There is no data or statistics available on the use and demand of community and school pools Asset Capacity/Performance Summary Makino Aquatic Centre The Makino currently has insufficient capacity to meet historic demand relating to access to warm and deep water for Hydrotherapy. Demand issues relating to learn to swim were largely resolved in the 2016 upgrade Community and School Pools There is no apparent capacity issues for Community or school pools. 15

15 2 Levels of Service 2.1 Understanding Customer Expectations Our customers have differing expectations of Aquatics Services. Generally these expectations differ in relation to the demographic and location of the customer. However, community expectations in relation to Aquatic Services only continue to increase. 2.2 Makino Aquatic Centre The Makino is a sub-regional aquatic facility serving the town of Feilding, the Manawatu District and the wider region. It s vision is to provide a fun community pool, passionate about water based recreation and learning, in a clean, safe and quality facility. The Makino caters for a variety of user groups including casual swimming, learn to swim, aqua group fitness, club swimming, other aqua based sports and fun water play. The redevelopment of the facility in 2016 included a number of improvements and additions. The introduction of a purpose built learn to swim pool has enabled the existing programme to expand and increase the number of lessons. The introduction of an indoor wet-play splash pad is aimed at young families and they can enjoy this year round. The outdoor 50m pool, dive pool, learners pool and toddlers pool are available throughout the summer season (October April) and all pools are heated. The traditional use of Aquatic Facilities for lane and club swimming is changing. Facilities across the country have identified that users are looking for new ways to be physically active in the water. Families are looking for wet play rather than structured activities and looking to facilities to be a play destination rather than a general swimming facility Customer Surveys Each year a customer satisfaction survey is undertaken. Feedback is received on a range topics from the quality of water, through to the availability of activities. Overall, feedback has been very positive on the upgrade to the facility and the standard of delivery for services such as Learn to Swim and Aqua Fitness. There are some reoccurring themes from the surveys and this includes the following; Water temperature Air temperature Available swim space during peak times Aqua fitness classes being fully booked. Feedback received through the surveys and through regular interactions with customers is used to improve levels of service and plan for future provision Community Satisfaction The Makino measures its community satisfaction through public voice, an ed online survey to residents and through physical surveys of customers on site. From time to time, specific surveys or other feedback methods are used to gain feedback on the general operation or aspects of the Makino operation. 16

16 2.2.3 Customer Satisfaction Survey The Communities satisfaction with the Makino is measured through an internal customer survey and a District wide survey resident survey. The results of this data for the period from 1995 to 2016 are shown in the graph below Customer Satisfaction to MAC Users District Users Linear (MAC Users) The District wide resident survey data was collected through Communitrak for the period from 1995 to No data was collected from the period of 2012 to From 2015 data was collected through Public Voice. The customer survey undertaken by the Makino has consistently achieved greater than 85% customer satisfaction since survey data begins in Since 2007 the Makino has achieved greater than 90% customer satisfaction. Overall the Districts residents have a lower level of satisfaction than the in-house survey. The reason for this, was that prior to 2012 the District wide resident survey included residents that did not use/didn t know data. Since 2015 this data has not been included, making satisfaction of Districtwide residents higher. 17

17 2.2.4 Facebook Ratings Since 2013 the Makino has been actively utilising Facebook for marketing and promotion. With this has also been the ability for customers to rate the service. Overall the Makino currently has a Facebook rating of 4.2 stars out of 5. Facebook Satisfaction Stars Linear (Stars) Since 2013, the Makino has shown an overall increase in customer satisfaction. While not an established survey base, Facebook does provide the Makino a quick and timely update on the centres overall performance and any apparent issues that customers do not wish to raise in person on site Changing Customer Expectations Trends in the usage of Aquatic Facilities has changed significantly over the last ten years. There has been an increased focus from the Ministry of Health on increasing levels of physical activity to avoid leading a sedentary lifestyle. 2.3 Emerging Activities There has been a shift in the usage patterns, away from traditional structured aquatic sport to the use of aquatic facilities for improving general health and wellbeing. Casual use of aquatic facilities is also in decline. Use of pools for traditional lap swimming is being replaced by water based, group activities. Although traditional aquatic sports such as club swimming and diving is in decline, a number of new aquatic sports are emerging. Canoe Polo, Flipperball and Underwater Hockey are increasing in popularity with consistent group bookings from these sports. 18

18 2.3.1 Baby Boomer Expectations With the predicted change to a higher proportion of the districts population to be in the older ages, there is increased demand for activities with fitness, therapy and social benefits. Low impact, therapeutic group activities are increasingly popular. This highlights the needs to change to the type of services and facilities offered such as Hydrotherapy and improved access to pools Aquatic Education Providing Learn to Swim lessons to the community is an essential service provided by the Makino. There is increasing pressure from national organisations such as Water Safety New Zealand for increased learn to swim programmes and work towards reducing New Zealand s high drowning statistics. Demand for Learn to Swim and school based Aquatic Education at the Makino is growing. With the construction of a new Learners Pool in 2016, the number of lessons provided is increasing. With the reduction in provision from schools, there is increasing pressure on council run learn to swim programmes to deliver the school swimming curriculum Community Swimming Pools As demand for activities increases during peak operating times, users are turning to smaller community facilities for their physical activity. A number of council s have implemented Partner Pool initiatives with an annual operational grant provided to selected community pools and mostly to support access during the busy summer season. Supporting community pools has reduced the demand on other council facilities during peak times and during the busy summer season. 19

19 2.3.4 Declining School Pool Usage The Ministry of Education is also a provider of aquatic facilities with four school pools in the district. A number of schools across the country are struggling to meet the high operating costs and many have closed their pools. This has placed increased demand on council aquatic facilities to meet the gaps in provision Expectations Relating to Access Issues with customers noting the lane swimming is too busy during peak times, often means sharing lanes with multiple people. Introducing a shared use policies ensures casual public swimming lanes are available at all times. Regular meetings and communication with resident swimming clubs and user groups, will ensure there is a good understanding of demand and improved forecasting of future need can occur. The proposed construction of a new Hydrotherapy Pool in year five of the Long Term Plan ( ) will reduce the pressure during peak times on the 25m pool. 20

20 2.4 Legislative, Strategic, External and Internal Contexts This section should be read in conjunction with the Community Facilities Asset Management Plan Activity Summary, which provides a full description of the Legislative, Strategic, External and Internal contexts that this plan has been prepared in. How the Aquatics activity contributes to the wider strategic and corporate goals, and the internal and external strategic context specific to the Centre, are described more fully in each of the following context sections. Internal Context Council Vision and Outcomes As part of preparations for the Long Term Plan, Council created a vision statement for Manawatu District. It is a stated desire for the future, and helps guide Council with the decisions it needs to make. Connected, vibrant and thriving Manawatu - the best rural lifestyle in New Zealand This statement is supported by vision statements for the District s villages, rural communities and Feilding. Villages Vision Attractive and prosperous communities that offer lifestyle choices and business opportunities within a unique environment. Feilding Vision A thriving community enjoying the most vibrant country town in New Zealand, servicing the regional rural sector. Rural Vision The food basket of New Zealand within a sustainable rural landscape that offers outstanding recreational opportunity. To support the vision, six Council outcomes that underpin Manawatu District s vision were established. The six Council outcomes and how the Cemetery activity contributes to these outcomes are described in the below table. Table demonstrating how the Makino Aquatic Centre contributes to Councils Outcomes Council Outcome How the Makino contributes to Councils outcomes Attract and retain residents Manawatu District will attract and retain residents. Quality infrastructure Manawatu and its people are connected via quality infrastructure and technology. Safe built environment Manawatu s built environment is safe, reliable and attractive. Community Facilities like the Makino Aquatic Centre are core recreational infrastructure assets. Quality assets like the Makino attract residents. Community Facilities including the Makino Aquatic Centre, are a core part of Councils Community infrastructure. Through effective activity management, the service seeks to provide assets and services that are goodquality and deliver value to residents The Makino is part of the built environment. Well maintained and operated, it provides accessible, and welcoming spaces and facilities responsive to our community s needs, which complement and contribute to the built environment. 21

21 Agile organisation Manawatu District Council is an agile and effective organisation. The Makino is PoolSafe Accredited and takes the prevention of injury or death of its users seriously. The Makino reviews its operational processes, and plans and identifies opportunities to achieve operational efficiencies and innovation to achieve value for its customers Makino Aquatic Centre Business Plan The Business Plan identified six key areas of focus to achieve the vision of - a fun community pool, passionate about water based recreation and learning, in a clean, safe and quality centre. A number of initiatives were developed under the six key areas with annual targets set against. The current business plan is now being reviewed to assess the effectiveness of the plan. With the facility redevelopment completed, a number of services such as Learn to Swim have increased. An updated business plan will identify the business opportunities from services such as Learn to Swim, whilst ensuring the facility maintains its fun, friendly community focus Makino Precinct Development The Makino Precinct Development, previously known as Leisureville is a legacy project that has been developed by Council since the late 1980 s, linking the Makino Aquatic Centre, Feilding Library and surrounding parks assets. Funding for the project had been identified in 2010 Long Term Plan, however was deferred during the Global Financial Crisis. Funding is now available in the Long Term Plan. At the time of writing, this development has been put on hold pending Aquatic Services Review Under section 17a of the Local Government Act 2002, a service level review was undertaken in This was conducted to ensure councils meet the current and future needs of communities for good infrastructure, local public services and performance of regulatory functions. The review considered the following five management options available for operating the Makino. Council operated, In-house model (current) Contracting out services to specialist facility management companies Establish a Council Controlled Organisation A stand-alone business unit (SABU) Establish a Community Trust to manage the facility. The review highlighted three areas for opportunities; systems, places and experiences. A number of improvement projects were implemented and included; More coordinated and user engaged programmes Enhanced coordination across community facilities Timely and appropriate communications Reduction in unplanned shutdowns Introduce planned maintenance and renewals Introduce a Centre Management System. 22

22 These improvement projects are in place and have improved daily operations and the overall customer experience. External Context Energy Costs Energy is a very high input to the Makino operations, costing some $215,000 each operational year. The service is at the will of these varying costs. While efforts are made to procure the best price for energy and where possible, lock in the best prices for fixed terms, the activities are still subject to varying and volatile energy costs. Energy costs are a high input for Community and rural pools, making the operation of the assets very high. Usually plants are operating with less than ideal machinery, results in higher overall energy costs. Maintenance strategies are in place to better manage assets and ensure they reach and in some cases surpass end of life Affordability A challenge for the service is providing affordable entry to the centre. Fees and charges are currently set in accordance with Councils Revenue and Finance Policy. While not an issue for all in the community, there are demographics of the community where there is a higher level of deprivation making access to the Makino and its services unaffordable. The Makino addresses this through reduced fees for seniors and those with a community services card. There is no subsidy however for programmes such as learn to swim. The Aquatic Services activity is a targeted rated, with a differential for rural and Feilding residents. While the significant rating cost as an impact of the 2016 redevelopment project has been passed to residents, there is likely to be ongoing pressure to keep rates at an affordable level, while still achieving required development. For rural and community pools, there is a particular challenge in keeping pools operating viably. Usually there is low or no fees relating to access making access easier, however the cost of the ongoing operational and renewal of the assets falls back to the local communities and schools. For some low decile families, the cost of learn to swim lessons is too expensive. Implementing flexible payment options such instalment plans will enable families to access lessons. A number of aquatic facilities in New Zealand use specialist direct debit companies who facilitate transactions and manage debt recovery Climate Change The outdoor pools at the Makino are heavily used during the summer season. Traditionally, the summer season is classed as running from October April. Use of these pools is weather dependent and over recent years they have not opened until late December. Reviewing visitor numbers during this period, the outdoor pools are still popular after the Easter school holidays and into May. All outdoors pools are heated and as demand increases for available swimming space, options will be explored for longer, better utilisation of these pools. A number of improvement projects have been identified in this plan to support increased use of the outdoor pools. 23

23 2.4.8 Rural School Access/ End of Swim for Life Funding A continuing challenge for rural schools is the time taken and the costs associated with transporting children to and from the Makino. Funding to subsidise transport costs has been available through Water Safety New Zealand s drowning prevention investment programme. However, since 2015 funding priorities have changed and this has reduced the funding available for school Swim for Life initiatives. Sport Manawatu also provides a funded initiative that is available to low decile schools in the district. The funding supports transportation costs and subsidised lessons at the Makino. This funding is due to conclude towards the end of 2017 and it is unclear if on-going funding will be available Rural Pool Sustainability and Equity Smaller rural pools have provided a valuable leisure amenity for communities. These pools have been operating through local volunteer committee structures with limited resources. Due to the high running costs associated with operating pools, councils have inherited these facilities. In some cases, these facilities are in poor condition and not safe for use. To counter the closure of rural community pools, councils have established annual operating grants to provide much needed funds to volunteer committees Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 The Makino operates under strict guidelines that include the duties of employers in relation to hazard management, training and supervision, recording and notification of accidents, serious harm and duties to people who are not employees. A number of safety measures are in place to protect both staff, contractors and users of the facility. Regular health and safety audits are completed to identify critical risks including handling hazardous chemicals, working in confined spaces, working from height and working with electricity Ministry of Education Focus on Swimming The Ministry of Education is also a provider of aquatic facilities with a number of pools in the district. Swimming is part of the school curriculum and a number of schools in the district deliver their own programme. For those schools without a pool, the Makino provides an education programme delivered by resident qualified swim instructors. Due to the size of the school pools, the majority of schools use the Makino for competitions and fun based activities Competition The Makino is the only fit for purpose aquatic facility in the district. Neighbouring councils such as Palmerston North City Council have two main facilities, Lido Aquatic Centre and Freyberg Community Pool. Rangitikei District Council owns smaller seasonal swimming facilities in Marton, Hunterville and Taihape. These facilities are managed by a mixture of community trusts and private providers. The relatively close proximity of these facilities does have an influence on how the Makino approaches its fees and charges and business planning. Prior to the rebuild of the facility, Palmerston North City Council facilities influenced the demand patterns particularly with children attending swimming lessons. 24

24 However, with a new purpose built facility including a Learn to Swim pool, there has been a notable increase in casual swimming and learn to swim. As the Makino moves into its first full summer season since the rebuild and concludes its first financial year, usage patterns will be clearer. A new business plan and vision for the Makino will be introduced in 2018 which will maximise the new and improved facilities and services. 2.5 Legislative and Industry Standard Context A full breakdown of the Legislative and Industry standards context relating to Community Facilities is provided in the Community Facilities Asset Management Plan Activity Summary. The specific legislative, regulation and standards driving levels of service for Aquatic Services are detailed in the table below. 25

25 Legislation Description Impact for Service Buildings are constructed in accordance with the Building Code. Building Act 2004 NZS 4303:1990 Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality NZS 4441:2008 Swimming pool design standard NZS 8690:2003 Water Safety Signage NZS 4121:2001 Design for access and mobility: Building and associated facilities Health and Safety at Work Act Vulnerable Children s Act NZS 5826:2010 Pool Water Quality To provide for the regulation of building work to ensure buildings can be used safely, that they contribute to people s health, wellbeing and physical independence and ensure that work is undertaken in accordance with the building code. Specifies minimum ventilation rates and indoor air quality that will be acceptable to human occupants and are intended to avoid adverse health effects. Specifies the essentials of design and construction and provision of water treatment Specifies the standard for the development and use of water safety signage. Specifies the requirements for making buildings and facilities accessible to people with physical disabilities. To provide a balanced framework to secure the health and safety of workers, workplaces and people. To provide mechanisms for the protection of vulnerable children in the community, requiring vetting of all staff, contractors in accordance with the legislation. Covers the essential aspects of the operation and maintenance of pools concerning pool water quality criteria including reference to methods of water treatment. It does not cover maintenance of heating equipment or of mechanical and electrical equipment. Safe handling of swimming pool chemicals is also covered. Risk management is also covered in this document. Provides minimum standards for public safety in relation to buildings. Provides minimum standards for equal accessibility into buildings during times of modifications or improvements. Liability extends to buildings not owned by Council, however on Council land. Ensures the air quality is safe and comfortable for customers. Ensures a set standard is applied to public, institutional and private swimming pools. Signage highlights the risk and aims to reduce the risk of drowning and injuries. Provides a means of compliance with the New Zealand Building Code. Improvement of standards through identification and resolution of health and safety risks. Eliminating risks from the workplace and community. Ensure workers come how safely each day. Possible increases to public convenience use in rural locations. Ensures pool water is safe to swim in. The Makino, Councils primary service, is not able to achieve compliance with the standards, due to the configuration of the outdoor pools. The building complies with NZS 4303:1990 Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality. It is not known what level of compliance community or school pools have with NZS 5826:2010 for Pool Water Quality. 26

26 Pool Safe Quality Management Scheme Pool Safe is an industry recognised accreditation scheme operated by the New Zealand Recreation Association, the professional body for Aquatic Centres. The scheme sets minimum best practice standards for the industry, which are annually assessed by experienced facility operators, independent of the centre. The Makino has been Pool Safe accredited since as early as 2010, being recognised as achieving the minimum best practice requirements for the Community. No community pools or school pools are currently PoolSafe accredited. 2.6 Current Levels of Service The current levels of service for Makino were revised as part of the 2015 Asset Management Plan and Long Term Plan review. In 2015, based on feedback from Audit New Zealand, the current single performance measure, statement and performance measure were established, on the basis that for a small local authority there were too many Levels of Service and performance measures for activities. Prior to this six performance measures were in place. The current level of service, level of service statement and performance measures were established based on reviewing the historic performance of the service, Asset Manager feedback, Community feedback through the Draft Long Term Plan and from Elected Members workshops. Table explaining the Long Term Plan Level of Service for the Makino Aquatic Centre. 27

27 Level of Service Area Level of Service Statement Level of Service Performance Measure Performance Measure Standard Level of Service Performance Measure Performance Measure Standard Level of Service Performance Measure Performance Measure Standard Description Provided to protect public health and meet the expectations of residents and visitors You can expect safe pools We will measure this by monitoring the Pool Safe accreditation accredited to aquatic complexes to show they meet swimming pool water quality and safety standards. Years 1-3: 100% Pool Safe accreditation retained Years 4-10: 100% Pool Safe accreditation retained You can expect a variety of water activities We will measure this by the number of people participating in water activities and learning programmes per annum. Year 1: > 5,000 participants Year 2: > 12,500 participants Year 3: > 13,750 participants Years 4-10: > 15,000 participants You can expect quality experiences We will measure this by monitoring the responses to the customer satisfaction survey about their overall experience of the complex. Years 1-3: 90% customers are satisfied overall with their experience at the complex Years 4-10: 90% customers are satisfied overall with their experience at the complex. 2.7 Activity Performance The activity has achieved its performance measures over the first two years of the Long Term Plan. The achievement of the three performance measures for the Aquatics activity are summarised in the table below. Table detailing achievement of Aquatics Performance Measures Achievement Measure Pool Safe Accreditation Activity Participant numbers Customer Satisfaction Result This accreditation has been maintained ensuring good health and safety, water quality, pool supervision and that risk management practices are followed at all times. Year 1: > 15,270 participants Year 2: > 51,634 participants Consistently achieved greater than 85% customer satisfaction since survey data begins in Since 2007, customer satisfaction greater than 90% has been achieved. 28