Appointment as Chairperson of Dunedin Swim Coaching Board Offers Opportunity

Water sports are of huge value to the fabric of our community.

We live in a nation with over 15,000km of coastline and yet I didn't learn to swim properly until well into my adult life. I am now a passionate triathlete, and part of this is due to having access to facilities which allowed me to learn an essential life skill.

As a city, Dunedin's provision / allocation of water space for both training and recreation is extremely important. Firstly, for the skill development and safety of our children around water, and secondly for local athletes to succeed in their chosen sports.

I was recently asked to join the Dunedin Swim Coaching Board in order to help advise and plan a way forward for swim coaching and water space allocation for the city. This is both an exciting and challenging role. Having been involved in a previous $10.5M upgrade of the Moana pool facilities, I am no stranger to the significant work required to maintain top class facilities. However, I believe the cities water space provision strategy also needs to take into account the bigger picture and grass roots community level involvement, such as school based and community run pools.

DCC General Manager Operations Tony Avery has commissioned the new Board in response to the recommendations of the independent panel that had reviewed the city's swim coaching needs. Our role will be focussed on managing squad based swim coaches' services at Moana Pool. This is a positive initiative and there is genuine excitement in the swimming community about what a board like this can do.

Got thoughts on waterspace provision for Dunedin?

I am thoroughly looking forward to the opportunities that lie ahead for Dunedin. If you have any ideas, thoughts or suggestions on the broader topic of water space provision I would love to hear from you.

For more information on the Dunedin Swim Coaching Board and other members please see article on DCC website.