Woongoolba Aquatic Centre: Shock as Pimpama pool closes
A swimming club has been forced to close after a shock council decision to shut the local aquatic centre - leaving residents of a Gold Coast suburb without a pool this summer.
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RESIDENTS in the northern Gold Coast will be without a pool this summer following a council decision to close one of the region’s only public facilities.
The Woongoolba Aquatic Centre located on Stapylton Jacobs Well Road in Pimpama will not reopen this summer due to ongoing costs – ending the local swim club.
In a letter to locals, councillor for the area Mark Hammel said the 40-year-old centre had “reached the end of its serviceable life.”
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Due to low patronage of less than 10,000 people a year the cost recovery rate was not enough to refurbish the public pool as needed, he said.
In all the pool costs ratepayers a total of $320,000 annually with a recovery rate of just $56,000.
According to Mr Hammel the council had investigated the cost of renovating the pool, which came in at $6.2 million.
“Another major factor the City was required to take into account when making this decision is, residents will be able to enjoy the City’s significant investment in the Pimpama Sports Hub by mid-2021,” Mr Hammel said.
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“Until the Pimpama Sports Hub opens, I encourage the local community to utilise the nearby City swimming facilities available to them – the closest of which is Helensvale Aquatic Centre.”
It is understood both Woongoolba State School and the Woongoolba Swim Club both frequent the centre.
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Now without a pool, the swimming club has also decided to end its operations.
“After receiving this information it does mean that Woongoolba Aquatic Swimming Club will no longer be operational effective immediately,” an announcement on the club’s Facebook page read.
“It has been our privilege to be a part of the community and we will certainly miss attending swim club on Friday afternoons.
“To our swimmers please keep swimming and families thank you for bringing the swimmers out each week and volunteering to help with the club nights.”
The club had started a petition in February this year in a bid to save the pool, which gained 1,471 signatures in total.
Originally published as Woongoolba Aquatic Centre: Shock as Pimpama pool closes