Ratepayer groups at loggerheads over Kingborough aquatic centre plans
Two groups are at loggerheads over plans for an aquatic centre in Kingborough, with one labelling it an expensive waste of ratepayer money.
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Two ratepayer groups are bitterly divided over plans for a Kingborough Aquatic Centre, with one side fiercely backing the proposal and the other labelling it a waste of ratepayer money.
The plans were knocked back on Monday’s council meeting, with aldermen concluding it was too expensive to go ahead without first asking for more government funding.
The decision was applauded by the Kingborough Ratepayers Association, but enraged Kingborough Ratepayers Voice’s Julian Punch.
Mr Punch has long been advocating for an aquatic centre as well as upgrades to the Longley Waterhole, which he says has fallen into disrepair.
“The Kingborough Council refusal to consider the long and outstanding need in the community for an aquatic centre in the municipality is a disgrace,” Mr Punch said.
“The truth is that only commercial developers rather than the ordinary ratepayers are considered by Kingborough Council’s economic rationalist council and general manager with a compliant ratepayers association.”
The association in question, however, has doubled down on their opposition to pool, with president John McDonald insisting it would be simply too expensive to be workable.
“We’ve published all the financial information we could get from Hobart City Council regarding the operations of their pool and we maintain that any objective assessment of those numbers supports the position we’ve taken,” Mr McDonald said.
“We certainly recognise there are people who are very keen on having a pool, but we’re simply looking at it in the cold hard light of financial reality.”
Kingborough councillor David Grace said he supports a pool for Kingborough and has done so for the last 20 years in the chamber.
Cr Grace said locals have been asking for a pool in the area since the 2000s, but that council had been dragging their feet for two decades.
Cr Grace rejected the claim that a pool was financially unfeasible, saying that council could’ve easily found a cheaper option if they really wanted to.
“I don’t believe in this [$40 million] quote. I believe you should always go out for public expressions of interest,” Cr Grace said.
“We weren’t given any other options. You have one option thrown in front of you to deal with and it got voted out.”
Plans still afloat for much anticipated Kingborough pool
Kingborough Council will lobby the state and federal governments for the funds to build an aquatic centre after a report found it would be too expensive for the council to fund on its own.
The report estimates that such a facility would cost ratepayers about $40m to build and more than $700,000 a year to run, necessitating a 3 per cent rate hike.
Kingborough Mayor, Paula Wriedt said while the council wanted to build the aquatic centre, it could not do so without help.
“Council acknowledged that it is unable to construct an aquatic centre of this size within its existing budget,” Cr Wriedt said.
“Council resolved to lobby the state and federal governments for funding and look at this issue from a regional perspective, servicing the needs of the community from Taroona right through to the south.”
Kingborough resident Edward McKay has been really looking forward to a new pool for the region.
Mr McKay said a pool would improve the health of residents and offset some of the effects of “cholesterol corner” on the Westside Circuit, which is a cluster of fast food joints.
Currently, Mr McKay has to drive his children in and out of the inner city for swimming lessons, since the small Kingston pool is usually booked out.
He said many parents were put off by the long commute, and that a local pool would encourage more of them to get their kids fit and active.
“A lot of kids don’t have access to swimming lessons, so by having a centre in Kingborough you’re creating more opportunities for people,” Mr McKay said.
“It’s about creating opportunities for the greater Kingborough region, which is the fastest growing region in Tasmania. It’s about getting cars off the road, having more facilities for the ratepayers, and getting better health outcomes.”
However, Kingborough Ratepayers Association president John McDonald said an aquatic centre would be a costly burden on ratepayers.
Mr McDonald said the Hobart Aquatic Centre was already bleeding money even with its larger customer base, and that a Kingborough centre would be even less viable.
“Our analysis of the Hobart figures shows a Kingborough pool would be a continuous drain on our council. Accordingly, the KRA does not support this plan,” Mr McDonald said.
“The Hobart Aquatic Centre is a continuing financial burden for that council, and if Hobart can’t sustain a pool financially then there’s no way Kingborough can.”
The pool was originally planned to be part of the Kingborough Sporting Precinct, and would have included a hydrotherapy pool, swim school, children’s play area, and lap lanes.
Do you think Kingborough should have its own pool? Have your say by joining in the comments below.
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