The water's fine at GSAC, and now the air's fine too

THE kids are back in the pool for swim lessons at the Goonellabah Sports and Aquatic Centre after Lismore City Council spent $30,000 improving air-flow.

Lismore City Council general manager Gary Murphy in the GSAC pool after swimming lessons recommenced this week. Photo: Hamish Broome / The Northern Star

THE kids are back in the pool for swim lessons at the Goonellabah Sports and Aquatic Centre, but the six week suspension of lessons has come at a cost for Lismore City Council.

Lessons were abruptly stopped and the centre closed for a week on June 19 after eight staff members became ill, including one hospitalised.

Independent air testing later found there was a concentration of chlorinated air in the building.

A previously unknown design flaw in the air flow system was identified as the culprit.

WorkCover allowed the pool to be reopened - but required all the doors and windows left open - leading the council to cancel kids' swim lessons due to the cold.

The fix has cost the council about $30,000 to install two new airflow units on the roof, which has doubled the fresh air vented into the building.

Council's general manager Gary Murphy yesterday donned his swimmers and dove into the pool in a bid to publicise the return of swimming lessons.

Lismore City Council general manager Gary Murphy dives into the GSAC pool after swimming lessons recommenced this week.

He acknowledged the enforced break had inconvenienced parents and children, and was keen to welcome them back.

"It's understandably a concern for (parents); to lose six weeks of Learn to Swim is a big chunk of that learning cycle," he said.

"We want to try to get them back here as soon as we can and get them into that learning routine again.

"This is not something that any organisation really wants to have happen, where there is a question mark over the safety of a facility.

"We've got to work really hard to get that reputation back. It's been very frustrating for the staff, it's something that should have been sorted out probably four years ago when it was built."

Fortunately, a by-product of the improvements is the centre has lost any trace of the chlorine smell inhabiting most indoor pools.

"I think people will notice the difference," Mr Murphy said.

"Safety is obviously our prime concern, so it is more important that we get that right and we gain the confidence of Learn to Swim and other schools to come back."