St Albans leisure centre: indigenous names snubbed for Brimbank’s new pool
Mud slinging has erupted online over the name of Brimbank’s new indoor pool after the council ignored Indigenous suggestions, leaving local Wurundjeri people in tears.
West
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A furore has erupted on social media over the proposed name of Brimbank Council’s new multi million-dollar pool and leisure centre.
Councillor John Hedditch, member for Harvester Ward, said the issue was so divisive he was worried it put reconciliation with First Nations people “back years”.
The council voted last month to consult the community on its preferred name for its $55.1 million St Albans leisure centre on Taylors Rd.
The council selected its preferred option, the Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre, from a shortlist of four names drawn from 314 public submissions.
Cr Hedditch told the Leader he was disappointed the majority of his colleagues had overruled the council’s naming committee, which included Mayor Georgina Papafotiou, Cr Truong Lancashire and representatives of Melbourne’s Wurundjeri community, by selecting Brimbank Aquatic as its preferred option.
The committee had recommended the Indigenous name Marin Balluk, a tribute to the traditional owners of the area, as its clear favourite, he said.
Two other Indigenous names in the committee’s shortlist were also overlooked, he said.
These included Brimbank Durra (loosely translating to Heart of Brimbank), and Wominjeka Centre (meaning Welcome).
“It smacks of politics. They (some of my colleagues) are using the name in their posts online as a way to lobby for re-election,” Cr Hedditch said.
“The name doesn’t need to be decided now, it’s going to be a year and a half build, if not longer with covid.
“It’s really unfortunate, I really feel like it’s put reconciliation back years.”
Members of the Wurundjeri were reduced to tears by the council’s decision, Cr Hedditch said.
Online, social media users reacted to a recent Facebook post by Cr Hedditch with frustration and anger.
Some went so far as to imply others were racist for not backing an indigenous name option.
“It’s a community facility, that means inclusion. It’s just embarrassing at the lack of Indigenous inclusion in our community,” one woman wrote.
“Sadly, casual and not too casual racism and ignorance is rife, seems the council is no exception,” another woman wrote.
But other social media users hit back and wrote it was common sense to give the centre a “normal” name that was easy to pronounce.
“It should be Brimbank Aquatic, this project is being 98 per cent funded by the ratepayers and it should have a name that bonds with its community,” a man wrote.
A woman wrote: “We have so many people from all over the world calling Brimbank home. It should be a name that represents that. It’s a swimming pool for goodness sake, it’s not a landmark.”
Community consultation on the council’s preferred name will begin following this month’s council election.
Construction on the leisure centre, which will include indoor pools, water slides, a gym, and a sauna, is expected to start next year.
Members of the Wurundjeri community declined the Leader’s request for comment.
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