Richmond Aquatic Centre

I have been swimming in this pool regularly since it opened. The staff is fantastic, the changing rooms and showers are always clean. The pool itself is crystal clear, and the fact that there are free spas available with your swim is a great bonus that you don't find at most pools. Keep up the excellent work! Despite some recent negative publicity, my experiences here have been nothing but positive.

As a regular lane swimmer in the main pool, I occasionally grab a coffee from the café. Lately, I have observed a decline in cleanliness, maintenance issues, and a disappointing attitude from the front desk staff. The female change rooms are sometimes inadequately cleaned, with a persistently faulty toilet that hasn't been fixed despite my report to the staff. There is also an unlocked toilet door in the entrance atrium that has been left unattended for some time. The overall cleaning standards are lacking, especially in the café. During my recent visit, the coffee and food order counter was unhygienic, and the table I sat at was dirty. Two weeks ago, my friend and I were served undrinkable coffees. It's disheartening to see such low standards in a facility that should be showcasing excellence to visitors. I urge management to address these issues promptly. We pay our fees and deserve higher presentation standards!

During my visits to the facility while on holiday in Nelson, I found the spa and sauna to be the standout features. They were incredibly enjoyable. I also had a refreshing swim in the main cold pool after the heat. The gym equipment was good and had all the essential machines, but I believe expanding the gym to include more machines and benches would be beneficial. I suggest adding a seated low row machine and an incline bench press. The changing and storage facilities were satisfactory, and the staff was friendly. I definitely plan to return on my next holiday. And let me tell you, those dumbbells are massive!