Strathmont Centre pool users urge State Government to keep it open

The State Government has decided to close the Strathmont Centre pool at Oakden. Pool users, including the parents of disabled children, infants and young migrants learning to swim, are pleading for it to be kept open.

Parents of children with disablities are pleading with the State Government not to close the Strathmont Centre pool at Oakden.

Their calls are being supported by other pool users, including the parents of infants and young migrants, many from the northern suburbs, who are learning to swim in the heated indoor facility.

Human Services Minister Michelle Lensink has decided to close the pool on January 31 after receiving departmental advice it needed at least $300,000 to keep operating.

Ms Lensink said the pool needed major repair work and was situated on an isolated site at the Strathmont Centre, which has been closed after all of its residents were relocated.

The decision to close the pool has upset regular users, who include parents with austistic children, the parents of infants learning to swim, migrant children and adults attending a Swim Safe school.

Fathers with infants learning to swim at the Strathmont Centre pool. Picture: SUPPLIED

The private operator of the school last week was told by the Department of Human Services its six-monthly lease would not be extended.

“The Department of Human Services has provided support to all pool users to relocate to alternative local facilities in the north-east, including ARC Campbelltown,” said Ms Lensink.

“All organisations, except one, have made alternative arrangements for all their swimming programs, including the swimming programs for children with disability.”

Shadow Minister for Human Services Nat Cook said Ms Lensink had not met with users of the pool since receiving departmental advice in June recommending its closure because of cost.

“The Minister of Human Services must (meet) with vulnerable users of the Strathmont pool like I have and explain to them why spending money on hotels is more important than keeping their pool open,” said Ms Cook.

The closed Strathmont Centre at Oakden is expected to be cleared for housing.

Labor Member for Torrens Dana Wortley, who has been campaigning to have the pool kept open, said the swimming groups which leased the facility were “devastated” when they received letters giving them six months notice.

“Hundreds who currently use the pool have not been able to find suitable alternative facilities and the government has ignored their pleas,” she said.

Ms Wortley said the pool was used extensively by around 1500 children and adults for swimming lessons and hydrotherapy.

“This includes children with autism spectrum disorder, intellectual and physical disabilities, new migrants from landlocked states who fear water, babies learning to swim and older people needing water therapy,” she said.

Liver organ transplant recipient Bernice Allen with swimming instructor Jacquie Richmond at the Strathmont Centre pool in 2004.

Ms Wortley said she had gathered thousands of signatures on a petition asking the State Government to reverse its decision to close the pool.

Ms Wortley said one regular user of the pool was a 13-year-old boy with severe autism and eplilepsy, Billy, who had been attending lessons there for four years and would be unable to cope with change.

“Billy’s grandfather contacted me and said that it seems that Human Services has no feelings or humanity towards understanding the needs of those very special people like his grandson.”

Billy’s mother, who did not want her name published, said the closure of the pool would have a huge impact on her son and other pool users who suffered from autism.

“Its temperature is consistently regulated throughout the year. This means my son can swim even in the winter months,” she said. “Billy would not cope at another pool.”

An aerial view of the closed Strathmont Centre at Oakden. Picture: Google Maps

The mother said pools suggested as alternatives to Strathmont included local swim centres unsuitable for Billy because of their size and noise levels while others were too far away for him.

“He cannot travel on a bus for over an hour (to another pool),” she said.

“If he gets stuck in traffic on a bus, and the sun is coming through the window, he is at risk of having a seizure from over-heating.”

Disability advocacy organisation Cara chief executive Liz Cohen urged other swimming pool operators to help provide services to the Strathmont pool users.

“We never like to see the reduction of opportunities for people of all abilities to access swimming pools for fun, fitness and rehabilitation,” she said.

“We understand that business decisions have been made regarding the closure of this pool, but we hope that other pool providers see this as an opportunity to provide relevant and inclusive services to people with disability and their families.”

The Duke of Ediburgh, Prince Philip, opens the Strathmont Centre in 1971.

Swim Safe client Andrew Nealge said he had been using the swim school for his four children for the past decade.

“I’d be devastated for Swim Safe for one, I think it’s a kick in the guts,” Mr Neagle said.

“They service everyone in the community, they have adult swim lessons, everything.

“How can they do this to someone who provides such an essential service to the community?”

Mr Neagle said he felt it was “disgusting” for the pool to be closed if it was to make room for housing development.

“If the pool is closed the ripples will flow through the community, diminishing the opportunity or ability for future generations to enjoy water sports,” he said.

“I think it would have negative repercussions all over the community.

“It feels like the money has already spoken and they just want to knock it all down and get the developers in.”

The operator of the Swim Safe Swim School who unsuccessfully sought the extension to their lease, did not wish to comment.