The long wait for the public pool to reopen at Tokaanu Thermal Pools is hopefully nearly over. The 17 x 6 metre pool has been closed for over a year, but manager Claire Tahi says equipment has now arrived for a new bore and pipework.
They are hoping to reopen their large, chlorinated pool by the end of May.
The all-natural private mineral pools which mix water straight out of the ground with natural cold filtered water have remained open.
Bores need replacing every now and again, she says.
"It's getting there, we have to close off the old one first, cap that and seal it before we start the new one… and we won't put any notice up until it's fully operating as all the pipework has to be tested."
"It's a little bit more involved and expensive but we can't do without it really. We're lucky we've still got the private pools, the mineral pools… We've been managing all right, we've got enough pools to split people up and let them go and have a hot swim."
But having the large public pool back in operation will be a boost for business, she says.
"It affects the school groups more than anything, but we bend over backwards to accommodate them, we haven't charged them the price they would normally pay for private pools and kept it to the public pool rate."
And she's sure Hoha the duck who can usually be seen frequenting the stream under the access bridge to the pools will be looking forward to more customers and the odd treat, though he's likely to have a few extra feathered friends in the meantime.
"He has a couple of girlfriends that come and visit him now and again, and I can guarantee they will be back in the first weekend of May, he may even have a few other girlfriends too looking to stay."
