By JESSE GRAHAM
OLINDA campaigners have welcomed a “common-sense” approach to saving their closed-down pool, after council committed to speed along the process in last week’s meeting.
At the 28 January meeting, debate and discussion about the fate of the Olinda Pool dominated the evening, with councillors divided about what solution would fit best, and the public gallery littered with people sporting beach towels as a sign of support for the cause.
The matter came to a head late in the meeting, when Cr Noel Cliff put forward an urgent motion to assess alternate measures for the pool, while waiting for an engineer’s report.
The report, originally planned for release before Christmas, then at the end of January, is now expected to be brought to councillors at the end of February.
Cr Cliff’s motion, which included council officers looking at options such as installing a liner in the pool, was carried by an extremely narrow margin, with five councillors in favour and four against.
Cr Cliff said that options such as the liner, lasting up to 30 years, could cost around $80,000 for the pool, while council estimates for fixing the pool had been placed at nearly $2 million.
However, the idea of a liner drew fierce criticism from other councillors and resulted in lengthy debate before the matter was voted on.
Save the Olinda Pool group spokesman John Faull, who made a submission to council at the meeting, said he was most impressed with the result and hoped that a resolution to the pool’s closure would be in sight.
“Common-sense and reality has prevailed … but we’re not over the hurdle yet,” Mr Faull said.
“Council is still in a position to hold the project up, waiting for further reports that have not been made available yet.
“We just hope that the council can expedite it, so we can get the pool open before the end of summer.”
Mr Faull said the group had applied to be incorporated, and would have the new name of Friends of the Olinda Pool Incorporated, though the group’s Facebook page would keep the same name.
The group currently has a committee of around 30 people, following a meeting last week, and Mr Faull said the community response to the group had been wonderful.
For more information, visit www.facebook.com/SaveTheOlindaPool.
