Council assigns $50k to support swim community through Tara pool renos

Key members of the Tara community will be supported by the council during the Tara Pool’s $6.3m upgrade. Here’s where the money will be spent:

Tara Pool Pic: Tara Swim Club

After a year of heated protest against the council’s decision to replace the Tara pool, the council allocated $50k to mitigate negative impacts the construction phase will have on the Tara swim community.

At the general meeting at the Chinchilla Cultural Centre on July 21, Western Downs Regional Council unanimously voted to authorise CEO Ross Musgrove to implement and fund a range of support measures during the 2021-2022 swimming season.

According to WDRC documents, the $51,180 estimate included $20,000 to the Tara Swimming Club for annual fees and grants, and $8400 for squad training.

SUPPORT: Here’s where the money has been allocated. Pic: WDRC

Speaking at a previous meeting in Tara, meet manager for the Tara Swim Club Jaime Hirst appealed to the council for support, saying the renovation would financially ruin the club.

“Unlike other swim clubs, Tara chooses not to make money off membership... to make it more affordable for families to join,” she said.

“Without the club operating for the next 18 months, two years, or indefinitely, many of these families will simply not swim again.

“Competitive swimmers… will struggle with additional costs of travel, time off work and the increased cost attending other clubs and aquatic centres.”

SHOW OF FORCE: Up to 50 concerned community members showed up to a council meeting in May 2021, to protest against the council’s plan to upgrade the Tara Pool. Pic: Peta McEachern

The council’s upgrade to the Tara Memorial Pool first came under fire in July 2020, when the council announced it was going to replace the 50m pool with a 25m pool.

The community protested the million-dollar project, citing to a lack of community consultation and negative impacts on the town’s economy and swim club.

Despite the year-long uproar and online petition, the council stood firm that the multimillion-dollar project for the town of 2300 people was the best option moving forward as the existing pool was “beyond repair”.

25M POOL: One of three WDRC Tara Pool Project prototype designs for the new Tara Pool. Pic: WDRC

Western Downs Mayor Paul McVeigh said the pool was in extremely poor condition.

“The project will involve replacing the pool with a new 25m pool with eight lanes and an additional disability lane and ramp, heating, solar blankets, sunshade sails, state-of-the-art filtration system, as well as delivering a new kiosk and amenities,” Cr McVeigh said.

“This decision was based on several factors including the shortest lead time for construction, overall cost of the project and overall ongoing costs to maintain the pool, as well as advice from industry experts.”