Pool users dive in to keep icon afloat

Community urged to speak out on future of Memorial Pool

POOL RESCUE: Sue Willet, Pam Tindale and Jeanette Farrugia who all swim every week at the Memorial Swimming Pool. Picture: Rainee Shepperson

A DEDICATED band of swimmers is urging the public to speak up and ensure the Memorial Pool remains open for generations to come.

Concerns about the future of the iconic pool have been raised following the release of the Mackay Regional Council's 15-year regional aquatic strategy.

Pam Tindale has been swimming at the Memorial Pool every week for several years and said the closure of the pool would be devastating.

"This is a registered war memorial site and I think it should remain as such because it is a living memorial, not just a plaque,” Ms Tindale said.

"I felt like some of the questions in the council survey were quite black and white, but it is important we do the survey to show our support for the pool.

"We really want to work with council to keep it open.”

Ms Tindale has concerns the maintenance of the Memorial Pool has been neglected ever since the Bluewater Lagoon was built 10 years ago.

"The pool is getting run down and no action has been taken by the council,” she said.

"The lane ropes need replacing, more shade is required and the pool needs repainting.

"It is council's responsibility to pay for the maintenance of the facility and clearly that hasn't been happening.

"It does make me wonder if this has been allowed because the new Ooralea pools will be replacing the Memorial Pool.”

Council responded to these claims saying the Memorial Pool had an annual maintenance cost of more than $270,000.

The Mackay Cyclones Swimming Club with Sue Willet, Pam Tindale and Jeanette Farrugia. Picture: Rainee Shepperson

Earlier in the year Mayor Greg Williamson said the decision to develop the Aquatic Facility Strategy had been sparked by the construction of the $24 million sports precinct in Ooralea.

Ms Tindale said although the Ooralea pools would be great for swimmers, she argued that they are not in a convenient location like the Memorial Pool.

She also claimed councillors admitted to not providing any guidelines or issues for the external consultants to address when creating the aquatic strategy.

"How can they prepare a strategy going forward with no guidelines,” Ms Tindale said.

Another avid swimmer Sue Willet has been using the Memorial Pool nearly every week for the past 15 years and she too is keen for the community to have its say.

She said retaining the current facility was important as there are several community groups who use the pool for training and classes.

"The Cyclone Swimming Club train at the pool every week and they have nowhere else to go,” Ms Willet said.

"The pool is in such a central location and fire crews, SES volunteers and aqua aerobic instructors all use it.”

Mayor Greg Williamson said the council's draft aquatic strategy wasn't about closing any pools.

"The strategy is about shaping the direction of aquatic facilities in our region for the next 15 years.”

"A specialised sport and leisure consultant made several recommendations in the draft strategy but council is seeking community feedback on all those recommendations.”

Cr Williamson said the report prepared by the consultants was done so with a clear brief from council.

"We wanted a desktop analysis as a first step that we could base this strategy around and we asked consultants to look at our existing facilities, their age, features, locations and usage,” he said.

"Now we are speaking with the community and stakeholders to work out if existing facilities are meeting their needs.”

Originally published as Pool users dive in to keep icon afloat