Parents fight Maroondah Council axing childcare at Ringwood’s Aquanation

A council’s decision to axe affordable childcare at a popular Ringwood pool has sunk quicker than a lead balloon with a group of angry mums.

Past and present users of Aquanation’s childcare – Caitlin, 3, Cailin, 5, Nayla, 8, Adam, 6, and Charlotte, 8, and their parents are upset with Maroondah Council’s decision to axe the service on June 30. Picture: Kiel Egging.

A group of angry mums are taking the fight to a suburban council after it decided to axe childcare at one of Melbourne’s biggest pools.

Maroondah Council will close its childcare service at Ringwood’s Aquanation from June 30, claiming not enough people used it despite heavy advertising.

Eight staff members will lose their jobs, with the council looking to redeploy them into other areas.

Disgruntled parents have signed a 200-strong petition and plan to make their voices heard at the council’s meeting on April 17.

Local parents and children who use the childcare service at Ringwood's Aquanation pool are fighting to stop Maroondah Council from axing it on June 30. Picture: Kiel Egging.

Heathmont mum of two Lydia Plumbe said it was the only short-term occasional care option available for local parents, some of whom had used the service for many years.

“It allows us to exercise, participate in paid employment and is crucial for our emotional and mental health to have that window of time where the kids were looked after,” she said.

“They (operators) haven’t worked with users of the service and we didn’t know it was at risk.”

The council offers two 85-minute sessions every weekday morning, both with capacity for 25 children.

Ringwood’s Aquanation endured several pool closures due to toileting incidents during March, and is axing its childcare service on June 30 due to low numbers. File picture.

Heathmont resident Rachel Sullivan said she faced the prospect of forking out more than $100 for a full day of childminding once Aquanation’s service ended, which only costs up to $16 per session.

Maroondah Mayor Rob Steane said it was unlikely the council would reconsider its decision “based on current usage patterns”.

“The fact is not enough people are using it, and there’s simply not the numbers to justify the expense,” he said.

“If every session was booked out … if each of the (petition) signatories were regular users, we wouldn’t be having this discussion.”

Cr Steane said Maroondah was one of the last councils in Melbourne to offer a childcare service at a sports centre, and it had reached out to users to help them find alternatives once the service finishes.

He confirmed the council had recieved the petition and the matter would be discussed at Monday’s meeting.

Aquanation has endured a string of recent closures with staff shutting down its leisure pools five times in March due to unplanned water contamination incidents involving swimmers.

It prompted the council to embark on a social media campaign to educate the community, with graphics including titles such as ‘Don’t let a little poo shut down the pool’.