Make a splash at Christchurch’s summer pools

Soak up the sun and cool off this summer at Christchurch’s outdoor pools.

From Saturday 16 November, the Norman Kirk Memorial summer pool in Lyttelton, the Templeton summer pool, Waltham summer pool and Jellie Park summer pool in Burnside will be open, and Te Hāpua Halswell summer pool will be open from 11.30am Sunday 17 November. 

Paddling pools in Scarborough, New Brighton and the Botanic Gardens opened on 19 October, and paddling pools at Spencer Park in Spencerville, Edgar Macintosh Park in Bryndwr, Avebury Park in Richmond, Woodham Park in Linwood and Abberley Park in St Albans will open on 15 November.

Christchurch City Council Head of Recreation, Sport and Events Nigel Cox says Christchurch’s network of outdoor pools are popular each year for keeping fit, staying cool and having fun.

“We had over 330,000 entries to our summer pools last season, with the majority of residents visiting in the lead up to Christmas and the month of January.”

Each year the Council hosts a number of summer pool parties at Jellie Park, Te Hāpua, Norman Kirk and Waltham with obstacle courses, bouncy castles, face painting and movies on the big screen.

“We’ll also be holding our popular manu competitions at some of the pools across the network which were a huge hit last summer,” Mr Cox says.

There are a range of facilities available across the Council’s five outdoor pools, including hydro slides, lane pools, toddlers’ pools, BBQ hire and picnic areas.

“Christchurch has fantastic facilities, so grab your friends and whānau and make the most of the outdoor pool network over the warmer period,” Mr Cox says. 

All summer pools and paddling pools will be open until 30 March 2025.

The outdoor pools in Templeton and Lyttelton operate on a membership basis with an $80 season pass. Members can bring guests as long as they leave payment in the honesty box.

More information on the outdoor pools can be found on Council’s website.