Kiwa Pools

A Culturally Designed Facility

Situated along the shores of Te Moana Nui A Kiwa in Gisborne, New Zealand is a purpose-based facility that was designed with the community’s rich cultural history in mind.

Kiwa Pools opened in the fall of 2023, replacing the aging Olympic Pool Complex that originally opened in 1974, after years of meticulous planning that began in 2017.

Designed primarily for community use, Kiwa Pools is equipped to accommodate FINA-compliant competitions such as swimming and water polo with multiple Natare swimming pools.

• 50m multi-use pool that incorporates a moveable bulkhead and moving floor to accommodate multiple programs and activities simultaneously.
• Learn-to-swim / hydrotherapy pool that is furnished with treadmills, bikes, and a hoist.
• Leisure / toddler pool that features multiple water play structures.

The facility’s interior and exterior design incorporates Te Ao Māori principles and values, deeply integrating regional cultural heritage into the building’s architecture.

• The building features triangular elements that symbolize the woven pattern of sails from the Waka that brought tangata whenua to the area.
• Traditional artwork is prominently displayed, including a carved taniwha ceiling feature.
• The plant room is adorned with glass walls that allows the public to view the facility’s operational heart (manawa).

Despite facing numerous challenges stemming from the COVID pandemic and weather-related state of emergency, the facility exceeded the expectations of the client and community.

Solutions Used for Kiwa Pools

AWS Pool System (50m Multi-use Pool): Natare’s All-Welded System (AWS) is an all-welded unitized pool construction system. It is pre-designed and pre-engineered to the exact requirements of each project, making installation fast and easy. AWS pools are permanent, watertight, and customizable.

SPS Pool System (Learn-to-Swim/Hydrotherapy Pool): A Natare Structural Panel System (SPS) is a bolted panelized pool construction system with a fully-welded gutter system. It is pre-fabricated in our warehouse and is then shipped as a kit to be assembled entirely on-site.

Stainless Steel Pool Gutters: Our MS1200 Roll-Out gutters were used on all pools and incorporate our automatic surge control weirs within the gutter systems. This allows for continuous perimeter skimming and continual flow during periods when the pool is not in use.

Natatec® Pool Lining: All three pools are lined with our light blue PVC pool lining system. The ramp in the learn-to-swim pool features our textured, slip-resistant pool lining system for added safety. Thanks to its non-porous surface, the facility can save on operational and maintenance costs because of how easy it is to clean.

MicroFlo® Regenerative Vacuum Sand Filters: All three pools are lined with our light blue PVC pool lining system. The ramp in the learn-to-swim pool features our textured, slip-resistant pool lining system for added safety. Thanks to its non-porous surface, the facility can saveThe publicly visible plant room consists of our cost-effective filtration system. They are pre-fabricated and arrive onsite as a complete, ready-to-install filter plant. Maintenance costs and water consumption are reduced thanks to its long backwash cycle. on operational and maintenance costs because of how easy it is to clean.

Movable Bulkhead: The 50m pool features one Natare moving bulkhead. Since Kiwa Pools was built specifically for the community, the moving bulkhead will allow the facility to have the flexibility for multiple programming activities to take place simultaneously.