Petition launched to ‘save Tinwald Pool’
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
She saved the town’s water fountain and now has her sights set on saving the Tinwald pool.
Christina Cox was shocked to learn the council’s decision not to open the Tinwald Pool this summer and launched a campaign to gather community support to ensure it’s only a temporary measure.
“I couldn’t believe they were even thinking about it.”
When the council had planned to relocate the town centre water fountain in 2019, Cox started a petition to help halt the plan.
Now she has started a similar campaign for the pool.
“I’d love it to be saved.”
Members of the community feel the same with her online petition already closing in on 500 signatures.
Cox used to be on a Tinwald pool committee when her children were younger, spending plenty of time poolside and has started taking her grandchildren to the pool.
The domain has had recent upgrades adding in a basketball court and now plans for a disc golf course, but is taking away the pool, she said.
“It doesn’t make sense.”
The pool has a series of problems that has caused the council the close it for the summer, but they are solvable problems, Cox said.
“I don’t know about the solution but considering it’s the only outdoor pool in town that’s open to the public, they should be coming up with solutions.”
It’s leaking 17,000 litres a day from unknown locations and the ageing treatment equipment that is close to failing requires a significant and costly rebuild.
The pool had a $66,000 loss in the 2021-22 season which had its highest patronage.
The pool had limited operating hours last summer due to a staffing shortage, with a lack of lifeguards also impacting the hours at EA Networks Centre pools.
The combination of issues caused the councillors to make the difficult decision to close the pool this summer and will consider the options for the pool, including an estimated $3m rebuild, in the long-term plan.
In the meantime, Cox hopes the pool gets enough community support to convince the council the pool needs to be retained.
The closure means that Ashburton will be without an outdoor pool this summer unless the council strikes up a deal with Hampstead School.
Otherwise, the option is the EA Networks Centre’s pools or a drive out of town to one of the other district pools at Hinds, Mayfield, Ruapuna, Mt Somers, Rakaia, or the non-council pools like in Methven.
Poll: Should drivers retake the theory test every 10 years?
Drivers get where they need to go, but sometimes it seems that we are all abiding by different road rules (for example, the varying ways drivers indicate around a roundabout).
Do you think drivers should be required to take a quick driving theory test every 10 years?
Vote in the poll and share any road rules that you've seen bent! 😱
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48.5% Yes
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49.6% No
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2% Other - I'll share below
Hero
“I was born and raised in war. To be honest, those are not good memories.
I really like Iran, and I really miss it, but I couldn’t be myself there. Even though my family didn’t like my decision, I left Iran. I promised myself that I would do whatever I can for all communities, especially for the kids, so they do not have the same experience I had.
I studied software engineering in Iran and left in 2006. I went to Malaysia and stayed in Kuala Lumpur for seven years. I was admitted to Lincoln University to do my PhD here, but unfortunately, I couldn’t afford the expenses. I requested a scholarship, but they told me I had to be there for six months first. So, I stayed in Malaysia and did my PhD in network security. In December 2013, I came to New Zealand with a work visa.
It took me a while to connect with the Iranian community here. I volunteered with the Multicultural Council, SPCA, and community patrol, and I established the Christchurch Iranian Society in 2017. Before that, I started working on Radio Toranj, the only Farsi-language radio show in New Zealand.
One of the reasons I started organizing cultural events was to showcase Iranian culture. I wanted to show people that we have delicious food, colorful dresses, traditional customs, and our own instruments. My hope was to show people that we are not what you see in the media.
I am working to involve all the communities that celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the Nowruz festival in March 2025. We want to share this celebration not only with our community but with the public as well. It’s better when it’s shared.
I remember the first time someone from Dunedin called me and asked, Hero, can you help? Something happened, and they keep declining Iranian visa applications. When I heard that, I felt insulted. We are still human, so how can they do that?
Through this journey, I’ve learned a lot. Every single day, people with different cases call me, and I try to share my knowledge and guide them as much as I can.
I have received several awards, including the Christchurch Civic Award and an Award of Recognition for my contributions to the community during the pandemic. In 2021, I established Canterbury Kia Ora Academy, a charitable trust. Through this charity, I can help other communities as well, not just the Iranian community.”
- Hero
View more stories, or nominate someone: @humansofchch
www.humansofchch.org......
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