If you pull into Waiwera today, you’ll find only bare ground where the hot pools once stood.

Demolition in early 2024 removed every trace of the resort that once drew families for slides, spa tubs and steaming movie nights.

Photo taken in February 2024.

The pools closed in 2018 for planned renovations but never reopened.

At the time, owners Urban Partners spoke of a $250 million redevelopment.

So far, no work has started.

Photo taken in August 2025.

Council records now list the 1.7 hectare site as vacant commercial land, valued at $13.5 million with annual rates of $68,433.

For Waiwera residents, the absence of redevelopment is less concerning than the letters now arriving from Auckland Council.

Locals say they’re drowning in steep rates increases, with bills often climbing well into double figures.

Rather than longing for the pools, locals we spoke with say they enjoy the peace.

With no busloads of visitors, fewer cars and quieter streets, Waiwera feels more like a seaside village again.

For now, the land remains empty, and most residents are more focused on balancing household budgets than debating what might one day replace the landmark.

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