Families in growth suburbs missing out on pools, libraries

Young families are missing out on community facilities like pools and libraries in Melbourne’s rapidly expanding suburbs. See how yours rates.

Sisters Mira, 5, and Vida, 8, have to make their own water fun. Picture: David Caird

YOUNG families filling Melbourne’s growth suburbs are being left high and dry when it comes to social infrastructure such as pools and libraries.

New research from Infrastructure Victoria has found the gap between the haves and have nots is at risk of blowing out without an urgent cash injection.

Areas where the population is booming, such as Melton, Cardinia, Casey, Hume, Mitchell, Whittlesea and Wyndham, are at greatest risk.

Infrastructure Victoria chief executive Michel Masson said the pace of investment in social infrastructure in growth had “failed” to keep up.

“It’s not enough to just plan and build housing in greenfield suburbs, all levels of government need to better integrate social infrastructure so that everyone has access to similar services, regardless of postcode,” he said.

Wyndham, the fastest growing area of Victoria, has one pool for every 149,000 residents, compared to the state average of one for every 65,000 people. Melton has one library per 90,000 residents, compared to the state average of one per 41,000 people.

And by 2036, the outer western suburb is expected to have just one library per 47,000 people aged 19 and younger, while leafy inner-city municipalities Yarra and Port Phillip will have one for 4000 children and youths.

The report says aquatic centres often build swimming pools alongside other key services and social activities, and are used by 70 million Victorians each year.

A new aquatic and recreation centre and library will need to be built within the next five years in Melton, Casey, Whittlesea and Wyndham.

Cardinia and Hume will eachneed new libraries by 2026, with Infrastructure Victoria also recommending that state and local governments start planning for new aquatic centres too.

Rupina Singh, who lives in Point Cook with her family, said her suburb needed a community pool as her two daughters Vida, 8, and Mira, 5, had nowhere to swim.

“There are so many young families here (Point Cook) there are lots of parks but no aquatic centre … we don’t have a place to take them to swimming lessons,” she said.

The latest Infrastructure Victoria report projects that young families will continue to flock to Melbourne’s rapidly expanding outer suburbs, with more than a third of the city’s children aged under five living in those seven municipalities.

The state’s population is expected to surge by 20 per cent in the next 15 years, many of these people are slated to be absorbed by the growth suburbs.

Mr Masson said the community facilities brought economic benefits, with visitors also spending money at nearby businesses.

Swimming pool visits are estimated to be worth $1.82 billion to the state’s economy in health benefits each year – or $26.00 for each visit.

For every dollar spent on libraries, the community receives a return of $4.30 in economic and social benefits.

“An opportunity exists for governments to work in partnership to ensure the timely delivery of co-located or integrated facilities that meet rapidly growing community needs and support Victoria’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mr Masson said.