At its January 19 meeting council decided to delay a decision on the future closure of the seven pools — Tongala, Kyabram, Rochester, Lockington, Rushworth, Stanhope and Colbinabbin — until May 2023.
It was the third time in six years that a decision on the future of the outdoor pools had been delayed — the first was in August 2016 and the second was in April 2019.
And council has agreed to wear the $88,000 loss which accompanies the decision to discard previous charges that applied to the use of the seven outdoor pools.
Last week the goalposts were moved again in regard to the future of the outdoor pools, council not only deciding to throw the gates of all seven pools open for free this swim season, but also alter the opening dates.
Among six recommendations made to the meeting was to introduce free general admission to the seven outdoor pools for the 2022-23 season — which were slated as potentially the last for the operation of the council-owned pools.
Further recommendations were to delay the opening of the pool season by two weeks — to November 26 — and alter operational hours to solve consistent staffing problems and the impact of cold weather.
Outdoor pools opening hours will now be moved to be more aligned to the available hours of staff, who are mostly engaged in educational pursuits until the new opening time of 4pm.
School use of the outdoor pools will also be altered, with a set fee of $6 a student applying to those schools which deliver their own learn to swim programs.
Campaspe shire pools currently open on the second weekend in November and operate until the March Labour Day weekend, opening days subject to the temperature being above 25℃.
Two lifeguards are required to be on duty at every outdoor pool during the opening hours, which will now be altered to 4pm until 8pm on weekdays (during school term) and 1pm-8pm during the school holidays.
On the weekends all seven pools will be operational from 1pm until 8pm.
Accompanying the pool decision on the bulging agenda was an extension to the completion of the Place Based Plan (PBP) and Township Facility Plan (TFP) process.
Originally slated to be completed by May 2023, when a decision was to be made on the future of the seven outdoor pools, the PBP and TFP process will now have until October next year to be completed.
Several towns, including Stanhope, Rochester and Kyabram, have had Place Based Plans in place for 18 months.
Township Facility Plan committees have not been appointed in any of the shire’s towns, with Tongala expected to be the first to consider the future of an anticipated 12 “disposable’’ council-owned assets.
The TFP process is designed to consult with a committee — advertising for the first of those, at Tongala, started a fortnight ago — about the future of buildings and land owned by council within its town boundaries.
Funds from the potential sale of these assets have been earmarked for use by the towns to develop community facilities.
The process is similar to what was proposed with the pools, and rejected, in January this year.
Council was faced with a decision to close the pools and use the potential proceeds from the sale of the pool land — along with the savings from operational costs — to provide the community with updated facilities.
It decided to keep the pools open for the 2022-23 season after widespread feedback from the community, in particular Save the Outdoor Pool (STOP) group, about the importance of the facilities.
Once the PBP and TFP processes are completed in all Campaspe shire towns a final position on the seven outdoor pools will then be considered by council.
That decision seems to be some way off now, considering the discussion that will be required following the new timeline for the delivery of the town TFPs.
