Banora Point Oasis Pool being demolished stirs community outrage
A beloved Northern Rivers community pool is being demolished despite strong community objection – with the incoming developer’s proposal for an upgraded pool still uncertain.
Tweed Heads
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A beloved north coast community pool is being demolished despite strong community objection — with the incoming developer’s proposal for an upgraded pool still up in the air.
Demolition of the Banora Point Oasis Pools has begun as part of Twin Towns Services Club’s plan for a massive redevelopment at the site, which is slated to include a shopping complex with a supermarket and an expanded car park.
The plans could also include a pool to replace the one removed despite the community’s chagrin – but Twin Towns chief executive officer Rob Smith said there is a funding hole.
Mr Smith said government funding is being sought and would be required for the club to provide the facility, but far there has been no offers.
“The advice we have received is that we should seek funding for the pools as part of the masterplan, rather than a facility that operates in isolation,” Mr Smith said.
“This will allow Twin Towns to demonstrate how the pools would fit into the overall redevelopment of Club Banora and create a valuable community asset for local residents, families and schools.”
Residents have repeatedly expressed their doubts the much-loved pool – where backstroke swimmers Sophie Edington and Josh Watson along with former competitive swimmer Chris Fydler have previously trained – will ever be replaced.
People took to social media to air their outrage with the development.
“They say in the plan there may be another one but yehhh right, that’s prob to keep everyone quiet until they say “oh we changed our minds because blah blah,” Sarah Radford wrote on Facebook.
Another resident, Sally Lancaster wrote: “They have the layout at Club Banora with the pool so hopefully they keep it but not holding my breath.”
Retired local teacher Mandy Schaefer said the pool was at the centre of the community and was once the only sporting facility at Banora Point.
“It’s the place where everyone spent Christmas, had birthday parties, went to swimming carnivals and spent New Year’s Eve,” Ms Schaefer said.
She would do deep water running at the pool three times a week and it’s where her three adult sons learned to swim.
Ms Schaefer recalls seeing hundreds of triathletes who trained and competed there on a Saturday morning.
“There was a massive amount of community spirit … (the closure) is a real f**k you to the community,” she said.
The development application for a redevelopment of the land and is before Tweed Council for consideration.
The pool opened in 1984 and the club announced it would close on April 30 last year due to numerous pieces of failing equipment and deterioration.
Banora Point resident Kathryn Raper began an online petition to keep the pool open on February 6 2022 which has gained over 5000 signatures.
The closest remaining Olympic-sized pool will be the Tweed Shire Council-owned facility at Murwillumbah, which was redeveloped in 2008 at a cost of approximately $16 million.
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