Norwood Residents Association fear beloved swimming pool and library under threat

A group of Norwood residents are outraged over concerns Payneham is getting the lion’s share of council funding.

Norwood residents facing an 8.5 per cent rate rise are concerned funds won’t be used to support the suburb’s beloved community pool and library as the council prepares its annual budget.

With the redevelopment of the Payneham Swimming Pool now costing $60 million, residents fear funding will be taken from the Norwood Swimming Pool and Norwood Library, according to a flyer circulated by the Norwood Residents Association.

Samela Harris from the Norwood Residents Association said they were worried the “treasured” facilities would not be supported and planned to raise the matter at Monday night’s council meeting at Norwood Town Hall.

“We’ve got a lot of concerns in Norwood because since the amalgamation of the councils there has always been consternation about what directions our rates are going in and who gets what,” she said.

Artist visualisations of the $60m upgrade to the Payneham Memorial Swimming Centre. Pictures: DWP Australia Pty Ltd

Ms Harris has spent most of her life living in the leafy suburb and said the potential loss of the facilities, particularly the pool, would be devastating for the community.

“[The pool] is used by all the Mary MacKillop girls and so many people right by MacKillop Park where St Mary MacKillop is celebrated in Norwood,” she said.

“It’s an old pool and it has required maintenance and they took the diving board away from the last controversy we had, that’s much missed, but it does not deserve to go.

“Especially if that means that the only (public) swimming pool is going to be across at Payneham and people who live in Norwood don’t consider Payneham to be Norwood.”

Norwood, Payneham and St Peters Mayor Robert Bria said the fears were unfounded. Picture: Brenton Edwards

However, Mayor Robert Bria told The Advertiser that these fears were unfounded.

“The council also has a two-pool strategy, which means the Payneham and Norwood pools will be kept,” he said.

“The council has a three-library strategy which means the Norwood, St Peter’s and Payneham libraries will all be kept.

“Those strategies have not changed and this 2024-25 budget does not change those strategies.”

He also said it was “disappointing to see misleading” information circulating in the community and invited residents to “have a say” on the upcoming budget, which is expected to be finalised by July.

“The budget is there for the community to review and have a say on and we certainly encourage the community to get involved in the budget process,” he said.