Glenorchy Memorial Pool: Inside the growing movement to save vital community asset

A strategy meeting will be held next week by campaigners fighting to save the suburban icon. They say their numbers are swelling, but with council estimating replacement costs at $30–$40m, they face an uphill battle.

Glenorchy Memorial Pool has been closed for the foreseeable future, perhaps forever. Image: Kelvin Ball.

Members of the Glenorchy community are fighting to save their local pool, after safety concerns led to it being closed indefinitely.

The 60-year-old Glenorchy Memorial Pool was closed because it had a number of problems, including a leak in the pool shell and structural issues.

Glenorchy City Council’s investigations revealed it would cost millions of dollars to repair the pool, but doing so would only extend the life of the facility for five years.

The council has estimate it would cost $30m–$40m to replace the pool completely, depending on the size of the facility.

It’s a decision that’s left many in the community devastated.

“It’s a special place, I remember coming here as a child,” Glenorchy resident Lee Rose said.

“I grew up in Glenorchy. I used to come here with my children. I used to come here with my partner and we’d have picnics on the lawn.”

Lee Rose wants the Glenorchy War Memorial Pool to be saved. Picture: Linda Higginson

Ms Rose is part of a group which is rallying together to save the pool. A Facebook Group dedicated to the cause has more than 1000 members.

A petition to replace the pool has garnered more than 1000 signatures.

A community meeting will be held on Tuesday to discuss the bid to save the pool.

“This was part of the building of our community, it’s got a historical value to it,” Ms Rose said.

“I’m expecting the meeting to be overflowing, we’ve been putting so many hours into this, it’s that important to us.”

“Our group is growing so fast, it’s unbelievable.”

Ms Rose said the group hoped to send a message to state and federal representative to lobby for funding to replace the pool.

She said the group also hopes to send a message to the council.

“The council said we’re thinking about it romantically, and if I’m thinking about this romantically, I’m proud of that,” she said.

“We’ve got a pool in Burnie and Devonport and they were built for a fraction of the price and they’re really cool pools, they’ve got everything.”

The council had made a bid for $26m in federal grant funding for the pool, but it was unsuccessful.

It will continue conversations with the state and federal government to investigate the possibility of funding the pool.

Originally published as Glenorchy Memorial Pool: Inside the growing movement to save vital community asset