Geelong Swimming Club protests proposed Kardinia Aquatic Centre winter closure

The Geelong Swimming Club vice president has detailed who in the community will suffer most if a proposed closure of Kardinia Aquatic Centre over the winter months goes ahead.

Geelong Swimming Club co-hosted a protest against Kardinia Aquatic Centre’s proposed closure during the winter months, with dozens of people turning out. Picture: David Smith

Geelong’s hopeful swimming athletes will suffer if a proposed winter closure of Kardinia Aquatic Centre goes ahead, a swimming club vice president says.

Geelong Swimming Club co-hosted a “community swim in” on Saturday morning at the centre to protest its proposed closure.

The City of Greater Geelong is considering closing the popular facility throughout the winter months as part of cost-saving measures announced in the 2023 draft budget.

A community petition launched earlier this month on change.org to protest the move has now garnered more than 2000 signatures.

Geelong Swimming Club vice president Tim Woods said the proposal was unbelievable, especially as the region gears up to be a host city of the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Mr Woods said the 50m pool was a well-used community asset. Picture: David Smith

“Council seems intent on measuring the cost of everything, but devaluing the value of everything,” Mr Woods said.

“Here’s a really valuable community asset that’s being taken for granted.

“It beggars belief that you would consider removing it for the winter sports roster when we’re right on the cusp of running one of the world’s largest sporting events.”

Mr Woods said Geelong’s aspiring athletes would suffer most from the closure, because the centre holds the only 50m pool for training in the winter in the council area.

He said other options throughout the region were already at capacity.

“There’s no spare space in the region,” he said.

“You could argue that the region underperforms because we’ve got inadequate (facilities).”

Mr Woods said there were many examples of how vital the centre was, including the GSC multiclass swimming group.

He said the group of athletes living with disabilities had their final training session on Saturday before heading to Europe to compete for Australia.

“Without Kardinia pool they would not have been able to prepare for the competition,” Mr Woods said.

Established athletes were among the protesting group, including Olympic medallist and Commonwealth Games captain Peter Doak OAM, and freestyle relay world record holder Tony Strahan.

MPs Christine Couzens and Darren Cheeseman were also in attendance.

Mr Woods said as well as aspiring professionals weren’t the only people who would be at a disadvantage if the pool is closed during winter.

He said there were people unable to go to another pool because they couldn’t drive, as well as others who credit the open-air swimming space and ability to swim throughout the year with improving their mental health.

The centre had operated as a seasonal facility until the Covid-19 pandemic.

To view the petition, visit www.change.org/p/save-kardinia-park-pool

Originally published as Geelong Swimming Club protests proposed Kardinia Aquatic Centre winter closure