General News
28 September, 2024
Pool vow comes with warning
COMMUNITIES want their swimming pools, Inglewood Ward candidates said during the Loddon Herald’s Loddon Shire election forum on Sunday. But there were warnings both current councillor Wendy Murphy and Miki Wilson. Cr Murphy pledged that no...
COMMUNITIES want their swimming pools, Inglewood Ward candidates said during the Loddon Herald’s Loddon Shire election forum on Sunday.
But there were warnings both current councillor Wendy Murphy and Miki Wilson.
Cr Murphy pledged that no swimming pool would be closed while Ms Wilson said the way to retain the facilities was for people to use them.
Ms Wilson also highlighted modern regulations, including provision of lifeguards, that added to the cost of opening and running pools.
“Pools are really important ... but it’s up to the community to see they are used,” she said.
Both Ms Wilson and Cr Murphy discussed issues if there was a failure of pool equipment.
They said funding for maintenance was a concern with Cr Murphy saying council did not have the financial resources to manage a catastrophic failure.
“(Pools are) important infrastructure ... I don’t see any pools being closed.”
The two candidates said advocacy to government would be needed by council to secure funding needed to keep pools functioning.
Loddon Shire’s five pools are more than 60 years old and council has received reports this year on the future of recreation, outdoor space and aquatic areas.
Estimates to replace pool shells and infrastructure currently start vat $12 million a pool.
Ms Wilson told the forum she wanted designs for the Inglewood streetscape project to reflect what the community wanted.
She said that, although contacted by political activist groups since nominating for the election, her voice at the council table, if elected, would be to advocate for local people and communities.
Cr Murphy said as a councillor she had listened to what communities wanted, supported and connected them in her role as a councillor.