Orion Lagoon Springfield: Council spends $850,000 on lifeguards and $2 million on maintenance, operation for Robelle Domain pool
Ipswich City Council is spending $2 million a year on Orion Lagoon, which dwarfs the amount of money spent on the city’s other public pools.
Ipswich
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IPSWICH City Council is spending more money to operate and maintain Orion Lagoon than its other four pools combined, with more than $850,000 alone spent on lifeguards to patrol the popular Springfield facility.
Visitor numbers to the council’s pools took a hit during Covid-19 with the organisation spending just over $3 million on its swim centres in the 2020-21 financial year.
This is down from the $3.2 million spent on pools in Bundamba, Goodna, Leichhardt, Rosewood and Orion Lagoon the year prior.
The council’s spend has hovered around the $3 million mark over the past five years.
More than 240,000 people visited the free Springfield pool within the Robelle Domain parklands in 2020-21, compared to 260,800 in 2019-20.
About $2 million of the council’s pool budget last year was spent just on the 2.5 million litre Orion Lagoon.
The total spend for all five pools included $406,200 for management fees, $259,500 for chemicals, $524,300 for water, $334,000 for security, $205,400 for gas, $161,970 for electricity and $294,500 for maintenance and operation costs.
The council also contributes a small management fee to the Waterworx Aquatic Centre in Springfield.
Lifeguards and pool operators are required for Orion Lagoon to meet Royal Life Saving Guidelines.
Security is also required to conduct patrols of the open space site after hours.
“Few cities in the state provide first-class facilities like these at a very competitive rate,” a council spokesman said.
“And at Orion, it is completely free all year round for not only Ipswich residents, but people from near and far, as they come and enjoy the various water play and swim options within the lagoon grounds.
“Ipswich can be proud of our pools and the quality of management and security at each venue.
“We have an impeccable safety record and have helped teach thousands of youngsters to learn to swim and other more experienced swimmers progress through school, district, state and national ranks in the pool.
“Our city has a proud history of swimmers representing their country internationally and supporting our community to participate safely in an active and healthy lifestyle is one of our priorities.”
In the 2020-21 financial year, 146,800 people visited the Bundamba pool, 142,000 went to the Goodna pool and 49,100 visited the Leichhardt pool.
Another 28,300 people visited the Rosewood pool, which is open between September and April.
Read more stories by Lachlan McIvor here.
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