Tauranga Memorial Pool members are breathing a sigh of relief as the future of their pool remains afloat with Tauranga City Council opting leave the facility's opening hours and seasons unchanged.

Tauranga Swimming Club president Sonya Hudson, outside Memorial Pool. Photo by Tracy Hardy.

During TCC's 2014/2015 Annual Plan deliberations, councillors voted in favour of keeping the status quo, meaning community pools – Greerton, Memorial and Otumoetai – all retain their seasons from October-April.

But councillors did vote in favour of increasing community pool fees by five per cent – meaning the adult swim entry cost will increase from $3.90 to $4.10 and children's swim fees climbs from $1.90 to $2.

Baywave entry fees will increase by two per cent, or 10 cents, from $7.30 to $7.40 for adults and children and seniors from $4.80 to $4.90. The fee changes come into effect from July 1.

Tauranga Swimming Club president Sonya Hudson says she's relieved by the decision.

She says if council went ahead with reducing the pool's season by eight weeks and tightening opening hours, the club would have faced immense pressure to remain open and offer a full swim season.

'To be quite honest our future would be pretty uncertain as a club because there is no room at any of the other facilities for us to swim. We would struggle to survive,” says Sonya.

'The club is very happy with the decision.”

The swimming club, involving more than 200 swimmers from beginner to competitive levels, is 82 years old and has always had an association with Memorial Pools.

Council received 195 submissions on its aquatic opening hours and fees, with 14 regarding Otumoetai Pool.

Otumoetai Swimming Club president Todd Pickett says opening hours isn't something that would have impacted directly on his club but concedes the fee increase is inevitable.

Todd says the club, which has between 600 and 700 swimmers, continues to grow.

'The fee increase is what it is you have to accept; that things have to go up,” says Todd.

'It's always an ongoing thing for our club because we are paying for so many swimmers as such, so it does mount up and does have a bottom line effect on us with small increases.

'But we are all pretty realistic that things can't stay the same.”

Councillors also voted to keep control of Otumoetai Pool instead of vesting it to Otumoetai Swimming Club after swimmers inundated TCC with submissions against the proposal.

The decision would have cut $370,000 off TCC's budget, but councillors agreed it's not something the club is ready to take on-board.