“We need time” Plea to delay pool closure

THOUSANDS of school-aged children could be left with nowhere locally to learn to swim if the education department goes ahead with its decision to close the Warrnambool College indoor pool later this year.

Following the recent announcement the Warrnambool College pool will close in December, president of the Warrnambool Swimming Club Katie Gleeson is calling for more time to allow the community to “look into what needs to be done to keep this facility open and what our options may be moving forward.”

And with more than 200 members, the Warrnambool Swimming Club is also facing an uncertain future following the recent announcement the college pool will close in coming months and be demolished.

President of the swim club, Katie Gleeson, this week urged the department to give the community time to “work on a solution.”

“We want to see the report, to see what exactly needs doing to save the pool if that’s an option,” she said.

“We just haven’t been given much time and that is also frustrating. To learn less than a fortnight ago that everyone needs to vacate the pool by December 20 is just beyond belief; we need more time.”

When news of the closure spread throughout the community a fortnight ago, locals were quick to gather – with an on-site rally last Sunday week (September 20) attracting a crowd estimated in excess of 500.

A petition, presented to parliament the following week, had more than 2200 signatures.

“There is anger and there is frustration in the community,” she said.

“The large crowd that gathered just wanted to show the education department that its decisions affect real people. The pool is home to more than 1400 learn-to-swim students, 240 Warrnambool Swimming Club members, large numbers of adult and recreation squad members, as well as those using it for sports recovery and surf club members training in the off-season.

“And, most staggering of all, there are around 4200 school-aged children who have education department mandated swimming lessons utilising this pool.”

The community is hoping to delay the planned closure, giving it more time to create a plan moving forward.

“We would also like to see the report that apparently deemed the pool in need of closure and demolition,” Katie said.

“If this (closure) goes ahead as planned, this will be the third pool across our district to close in the last year.

“First, the Cobden pool was closed and more recently the Port Fairy indoor pool, and now Warrnambool. The Cobden community is fighting hard, raising money and awareness to get the doors re-opened and we want the opportunity, if possible, to do the same.

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“We have all been left in the dark with very little explanation as to why this decision was made – yet alone given the opportunity to help save the facility. This has such a huge flow-on effect within the community.”

Should the pool be demolished, Katie fears thousands of swimmers will be left with nowhere to go.

The future of the swim club may be in jeopardy, families may struggle to find places for their children to learn to swim, and the club’s squads will have nowhere to train.

“AquaZone is already near capacity and our squad members, under the dedicated coaching staff from Jayson Lamb’s Splash Factory, train here at the college pool up to four mornings a week plus afternoon sessions at AquaZone.

“There is simply not enough lanes or availability at AquaZone to accommodate them all, yet alone leave room for the general public and others.”

While the opening of the outdoor pool at AquaZone will provide some short-term relief for the club over the summer months, the winter period will see the club left “high and dry.”

“AquaZone also has its own issues, and the facility is in need of upgrades, but we’re hearing council has no funds for that and is struggling to find avenues for revenue. That just adds another layer of concern.”

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Member for Western Victoria Jacinta Ermacora acknowledged the benefits the Warrnambool College pool had offered in the past.

“The Warrnambool College pool has been a wonderful asset for our community, with many local children learning to swim there and many of our elite squad swimmers training at the facility,” she said.

“I acknowledge that the pool has been in declining condition and that discussions have been ongoing with Warrnambool College and the Splash Factory for some time.

“I look forward to meeting with the club and community to identify how we can better assist parties in this transition, in addition to the engagement government bodies have had with Splash Factory over previous years.”

• Pictures courtesy Penny Turner, Warrnambool Swimming Club.