Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
A Nelson swimming club said it's close to sinking, after the council hiked the price of hiring one pool lane to around $40 per hour.
Nelson South Swim Club carries out its coaching for 12 weeks over winter at Riverside Pool.
Over the past four years the cost of a lane, per hour, has crept from $27 to $40 - although the club gets a $2 discount on that.
Nelson South Swim Club coach Glen Findlay compared the price of the almost 100-year-old facility to that of Christchurch's, which he described as a "state-of-the-art" new pool, which only charges $12.50.
"It's a significant challenge for our families, and our swimmers. And even potentially for the programme's survival," he told Checkpoint.
"We're probably one of the leading provincial swimming programmes in the country, we've got kids in there that are learning to swim right through to very good, competitive swimmers at a national level, and from all backgrounds and socio-economic situations.
"(It's) very difficult to get people into the programme with those costs, and to retain them."
Findlay said Nelson City Council had acknowledged the rate is high, but despite the club pleading the case for the rate to be dropped, it was then raised.
The club are hoping for resolutions from the council in December, but in the meantime, are having to deal with people leaving the programme.
As a coach, Findlay is disheartened to see swimmers depart and miss out on reaching milestones.
"It's soul-destroying," he said.
"When you've been involved in the industry and see the power of the sport, whether it's a child behind the swimming blocks for the first time at a race, or swimming a width for the first time.
"It's incredibly powerful, and to know that people aren't going to be engaging in that is pretty tough."
Findlay believes at half the price at $20 is still at the upper end of line hire rates around New Zealand.
"We don't want special treatment, we don't want a super-duper deal, but we think we need a fair price and we think that would be a starting point," he said.
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