TLDR: The Selwyn Aquatic Centre has garnered national recognition at the 2025 Recreation Aotearoa Aquatics Awards for its impactful WAVES Programme, which provides tailored swimming lessons for over 120 children with disabilities, and for pioneering the implementation of an advanced AI-powered drowning prevention system, a first for public pools in New Zealand.
The Selwyn Aquatic Centre has achieved national acclaim, securing two prestigious awards at the 2025 Recreation Aotearoa Aquatics Awards: the Aquatic Innovation – Programme award and the Aquatic Innovation – Operations award. These honors highlight the centre’s commitment to inclusivity and its innovative adoption of artificial intelligence for enhanced safety.
Central to the recognition is the centre’s transformative WAVES Programme, an initiative designed to provide specialized swimming instruction for children with disabilities. Developed seven years ago by a qualified Speech and Language Therapist within the Selwyn Aquatic Centre team, the program has expanded significantly, now supporting over 120 children. Lessons are meticulously tailored to each child’s unique learning profile, co-designed with their families, and delivered through one-on-one instruction. Denise Kidd, Executive Director of Community Services and Facilities, emphasized the program’s importance, stating, “We’re proud of our team and so pleased to see them recognised for such an important and special programme. It is often hard for parents to find services like this for their children at an affordable price, so it was important for us to be able to provide something for children in our community who already face many challenges and who might otherwise miss out.” Ms. Kidd further elaborated on the program’s scope, noting, “The team do a fantastic job with everything from children with health issues that might cause them to struggle in a group environment, to those who are deaf, blind, non-verbal, in a wheelchair or needing full physical support to move. We hear regularly from parents how much the children love it and the confidence and joy it brings them.” The WAVES Programme ensures equitable access and opportunity for every child in Selwyn to develop water skills, build confidence, and foster a sense of community.
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In a pioneering move for public aquatic facilities in Aotearoa, the Selwyn Aquatic Centre has also been lauded for its AI drowning prevention system. This cutting-edge technology, fully installed by June 2025 after initial deployment in December 2024, utilizes a network of 27 AI-enabled cameras to continuously monitor swimmer movements and detect signs of distress. The decision to implement this system followed a medical incident in 2023, where glare and reflections on the water made visibility challenging for lifeguards, prompting a review that recommended technological solutions. A spokesperson, McGrath, highlighted the system’s benefits and privacy considerations: “The system complies with international laws and privacy regulations. The AI recordings are only used to identify body behaviours, not to record details that could identify people. Recordings are stored on-site and automatically deleted after seven days. No staff members will have access to the recordings.” McGrath added, “Lifeguarding is a challenging role, and this technology is incredibly innovative. It’s a valuable tool that will help our qualified lifeguards keep people safe. We’re thrilled to be one of the first users of this technology in New Zealand.” With over 530,000 customers annually, the Selwyn Aquatic Centre is the district’s most utilized facility, making this AI integration a significant step in enhancing public safety and aligning with the council’s broader digital strategy.
