11TH HOUR: Rainbow Beach pool saved on eve of disaster
An expected indefinite shutdown from the start of the new year has turned into the first good news story of 2021
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The New Year is starting with a splash at Rainbow Beach with its popular pool pulled back from the brink a day away from its indefinite closure.
The pool was scheduled to shut indefinitely from Friday, January 1, owing to increasing overhead and insurance costs.
However on Thursday it was announced the pool would continue running business as usual from Monday January 4 thanks to help from the Rainbow Beach Sports Club and Rainbow beach Surf Life Saving Club.
Head instructor Bobbi-Jo Parton, who took over the pool under her own ABN this year as part of a three month trial and is now the centre's leaseholder, was thrilled with developments since the impending shutdown was first announced early this week.
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"The new year is going to start with a bang," Mrs Parton said on Thursday.
Mrs Parton said the pool would now remain open until at least Easter this year.
Earlier in the week she told The Gympie Times the pool's future had been clouded by financial concerns.
"It's a business," she said on Wednesday.
"At the end of the day it costs a lot to make it run."
News of the possible shutdown sparked an outcry on social media, including queries about whether the council could step in to help and calls for a protest outside the council's Mary St offices.
It is one of only two pools in the region not owned and run by the council through Belgravia Leisure.
This story has been edited to acknowledge the Rainbow beach Surf Life Saving Club's involvement in keeping the pool open
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