Where is Christchurch's warmest pool for swimming? Which is the warmest pool near you? Below is a list of indoor
public swimming pool temperatures across Christchurch.
Christchurch's Warmest Public Pool:
The winner of the title of
warmest public pool in Christchurch goes to...(drumroll please)...
the
hydrotherapy pool at Taiora QEII in New Brighton, which sits at a toasty 34-35 degrees.
It is quite large for a hydrotherapy pool at 19 metres long, so enough room to move around in at off-peak times. The
hydrotherapy pool entry is included in the general entry price and is open to everyone except when there are scheduled
classes. Taiora QEII also has a spa that operates at an even warmer 37-39 degrees in case the hydrotherapy pool is not
warm enough for you. The warmest pools at Jellie Park, Waitaha and Te Pou Toetoe are all used for learn to swim
classes and all sit around a cosy 32 degrees.
| Indoor Pool Venue | Temperature of Warmest Pool at Venue |
|---|
| Taiora QEII (New Brighton) | 34C / 93F |
| Jellie Park Rec & Sport Centre (Burnside) | 32C / 90F |
| Waitaha Aquatic Centre (Yaldhurst) | 32C / 90F |
| Te Pou Toetoe (Linwood) | 32C / 90F |
| Pioneer Rec & Sport Centre (Somerfield) | 31C / 88F |
| Graham Condon Rec & Sport Centre (Papanui) | 30C / 86F |
| Wharenui Sports Centre (Riccarton) | 29C / 84F |
In the list of warmest pools above I have only included pools in which you can actually
swim (as opposed to just bathing) and that are designated for active recreation by the venue.
This excludes spas, toddler pools and shallow leisure pools.
Christchurch's Warmest Lap Pool:
The Jellie Park, Pioneer and Te Pou Toetoe lap swimming pools take out the title of warmest lap pools in Christchurch.
These are operated at a minimum temperature of 28 degrees. All of these pools are 25 metres in length.
The water temperatures for lap pools in the table below applies only to those indoor public pools that have a minimum
length of 25 metres or, if it was the longest pool at the venue (and hence designated for lap swimming),
a minimum length of 20 metres.
| Indoor Pool Venue | Temperature of Warmest Lap Pool at Venue |
|---|
| Jellie Park Rec & Sport Centre (Burnside) | 28C / 82F |
| Pioneer Rec & Sport Centre (Somerfield) | 28C / 82F |
| Te Pou Toetoe (Linwood) | 28C / 82F |
| Graham Condon Rec & Sport Centre (Papanui) | 27C / 81F |
| Waitaha Aquatic Centre (Yaldhurst) | 27C / 81F |
| Wharenui Sports Centre (Riccarton) | 27C / 81F |
| Taiora QEII (New Brighton) | 26C / 79F |
If you are planning to visit these pools, beware of clashes with classes, particularly after school
swimming lessons. Some hydrotherapy pools are also booked by health care providers. If you are not sure
when a pool is free, check out the pool timetables on the venue's website or ring ahead to save
yourself the disappointment.
To put the temperatures below in context, the water in San Francisco Bay (considered too cold for potential escapees
from Alcatraz to swim in) is 12-16 degrees and the water in Lyttleton Harbour ranges from around 9 degrees in winter to around
16 degrees in summer. Your internal body temperature is around 37 degrees. Most hot spas in public pools and managed hot springs
are 36 degrees or above.
Here is a map of the above information. The default map displays the temperature of the warmest pool at each venue. To
map the warmest lap pool, use the menu in the top left corner of the map title bar, de-select the warmest swimming pool option and select
the warmest lap pool option.
Comments:
If you think I have missed a public swimming pool that should be on this list, please fill in the comment box below.
I am also interested in your experiences after visiting, and any changes in swimming conditions. All fields are required if you would like to see your comments appear on this website.
