Council won’t support swimmers’ cry to use Howard Springs pool

Palmerston swimmers will soon be kicked out of their local pool but the council has ruled out asking to use the nearby Howard Springs quarantine facility instead.

PALMERSTON pool goers will lose access to their facilities at the end of this month but the local council believes using the Howard Springs quarantine facility site is out of their hands.

The CLP’s proposal for the Howard Springs quarantine facility to open its gates in the wake of the Palmerston pool renovation closure has gained support from the community and swimming clubs.

Despite the support, Palmerston council has ruled out approaching the government to use the unused quarantine pool, saying it was a government facility.

The refusal comes after Chief Minister Natasha Fyles told Question Time she was “surprised” to receive suggestion letters from the CLP since it was a “council issue”.

The Howard Springs camp was previously used as workers accommodation before it was converted to host return travellers during the height of the pandemic.

It has since been mothballed.

The 67ha site was fitted with various entertainment for workers including a cinema, gym, and a pool.

A council spokesperson said there were “alternative public and private pool facilities within the region”.

However, Palmerston pool head coach Daniel Gerlach said none of the nearby facilities were adequate for his club’s members.

“There aren’t many which are accessible to the public, most of them are private pools so they aren't really accessible for our members,” he said.

“Access to the Howard Springs facility would be a great solution.”

Palmerston council has ruled out contacting the NT Government to see if it could use the Howard Springs quarantine facility’s pool while their’s is being renovated for 14 months. Picture: Floss Adams.

Mr Gerlach said when council discussion began regarding the $19.4m pool project, they were led to believe the site would be able to remain operational throughout construction.

“We have been waiting the better part of a year and a half for the closure to happen and the original plan was to keep part of the pool open throughout the entire period,” he said.

“So this full closure that the council has proceed with has really thrown a spanner in the works.

“We don’t know why the plans changed.”

With the pool set to close for 14 months, Mr Gerlach said the Palmerston pool had seen a swift decline in member registrations.

“It’s actually really affecting our members coming into the new season,” he said.

“It’s going to make it a real struggle for us to continue normal operations once we do re-open.

The council spokesperson said the option to complete construction in stages “was a consideration, however was not considered feasible due to the additional time and cost involved”.

“Particular groups with issues pertaining to this are encouraged to contact council and we will discuss with them,” they said.

Howard Springs pool push slapped down

WATER was needed to put out the fire of political conversation around the use of the

Howard Springs camp pool in place of Palmerston’s main swimming-hole.

In Question Time on Tuesday, Brennan MLA Marie-Clare Boothby asked Chief Minister Natasha Fyles whether she would open up the camp and its pool for community use, while the Palmerston pool underwent a facelift.

It comes after the Opposition’s proposal, unveiled in the Sunday Territorian, has gained support from the community and swimming clubs.

Swimmers Emmanuel and Gabriele Miel will stay sad and disappointed at the government not opening up the Howard Springs camp pool. Picture: Glenn Campbell

The proposal was slapped down, with Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said she was “surprised” to receive several letters from the Opposition around the proposal despite it being a matter primarily for the City of Palmerston.

“There are other pools in the Palmerston area,” she said.

“The Palmerston council has kindly offered support to help organisations access those other pools.

“I just found it’s quite ironic that the Opposition all sent the same letter … and of course

I take that it is a privilege that they’ve written to me but it is a council issue.”

Special Olympics athletes to lose pool

Special Olympics athletes will lose access to their pool when the Palmerston facility closes its doors, despite this Labor refuses to open the locked gates at Howard Springs.

The Howard Springs camp was previously used as workers accommodation before it was converted to host return travellers during the height of the pandemic.

The 67ha site was fitted with various entertainment for workers including a cinema, gym, and a pool.

Palmerston Pool head coach Daniel Gerlach, 36, said it is going to be very difficult to “get the athletes at performance level” without access to water.

“Access to the Howard Springs facility would be a great solution,” he said.

“I don’t think keeping the facility on standby precludes the government from opening it up until such time as they need it.”

Darwin swimmers shivering at the thought of going to Launceston for the Special Olympics Special Olympics special Olympics are Jonathan Tan, Maria Pitt and Donovan Mota. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Leader of Government Business Chansey Paech said Howard Springs could still be used as a quarantine hub in the future as the Northern Territory juggled the changing pandemic environment.

Deputy leader of the opposition Gerard Maley has led the pool conversation in the wake of Palmerston pool shutting its doors for 14-months to undergo renovations.

“Rural families, in particular those with school-aged children who attend swimming lessons, need access to adequate facilities,” he told the NT News.

“With the closure of Palmerston pool some schools will be forced to travel long distances for essential swimming lessons.”

Mr Maley said the rural area had “been crying out for a pool for years” and the Fyles Government has the perfect solution stuck “behind locked gates”.

Howard Springs staff and a lifeguard who previously to assisted those in quarantine. Picture GARY SHIPWAY

Mr Gerlach said more than 40 club members will loose access to a pool, as well as the public.

“Kids taking swimming classes will also be affected,” he said.

“But for some people swimming isn’t just a sport.

“We have a lot of people that come and use swimming as part of their rehab.”

When Palmerston closes on August 20 regional members who already travel over 40 minutes to the facility will be forced to drive an additional 30 minutes to access water, Mr Gerlach said.

Originally published as Council won’t support swimmers’ cry to use Howard Springs pool