By KATH GANNAWAY
THE Hills community’s fight to save the Olinda Pool has been won.
Yarra Ranges Council voted six to two at Tuesday night’s council meeting to allocate a budget of $770,000 to repair the pool and to upgrade facilities.
The gallery was packed, once again, for the decision which went against the Environment and Engineering Department’s recommendation to close and demolish the pool.
There was applause as one by one councillors Callanan, Cliff, Dunn, Cox, Witlox and McAllister set out the reasons they believed Olinda Pool should be retained for community use.
The gallery erupted into cheers and outside there were hugs for each other, and for the councillors who had gone in to bat for the Olinda Pool cause.
“We are not in the business of closing community facilities” and “pools are core business” were common themes as the councillors put their views forward.
For councillors Child and McCarthy, arguing for closure, there was, for the most part, respectful silence. It was evident quite early in the meeting that nine-months of campaigning and lobbying had delivered a strong message.
Janine McClelland spoke on behalf of the Save Olinda Pool and Friends of the Olinda Pool noting that John Faull who as chairman of the Friends group had been a passionate spokesman on the issue, was unwell and not able to attend the meeting.
She said she also represented more than 30 local businesses who wanted to see the pool re-opened.
Ms McClelland called on the council to represent the interests of its residents and ratepayers which in this case, she said, had been demonstrated with a clear message.
“We would like the Olinda Pool re-opened … please,” she said.
She challenged the proposition that there were pools at Monbulk and Belgrave that were accessible citing a three-hour and 20-minute bus/train trip to get from Olinda to Monbulk – on a bus that runs via Upper Ferntree Gully, and only between 9am and 2pm, weekdays.
“You can get to St Kilda beach in less time,” she said.
Ms McClelland put forward a proposal which would see the community manage the pool in conjunction with the council, and said that would open up more avenues for funding and more innovative ways to build attendance and raise funds.
Extending the opening times and potentially the length of the season with heating, possibly solar, to take the chill off the water, bringing in family passes, as well as promoting the pool, were all ways in which it could be more viable, she said.
“I think the children involved in this (campaign) are our future and I would say as confidently as I can that we have the community that would be ready to take this on and manage it well,” she said.
Cr Callanan set the ball rolling, moving an alternative motion to re-open the pool with necessary repairs and upgrades for the 2015/16 summer season.
He called for a budget of $770,000 made up of 60 per cent from the council and the balance from external sources – including any State or Federal government support.
He acknowledged the hard work put in by council officers, saying it had been a challenging process, then went to the council’s 2007 Aquatic Strategy to support his argument to retain the pool.
“I’m not convinced it says the pool should close. I believe we should be providing those core facilities of indoor and outdoor pools.
“Pools are core business for council,” he said quoting from the council’s Health and Wellbeing Plan to back up his case.
Cr Child also went to the Aquatic Strategy in opposing the motion.
He said the strategy ticked all the boxes in relation to pools in the Hills district with the upgrade of the Monbulk and Belgrave pools.
“What concerns me is deviating from that strategy. We have a responsibility to our policy decisions and this was a very strong policy decision,” he said.
He drew a comparison with the Warburton pool which he said had been closed, but remained in place.
“I feel for my residents as well, and it would be a totally inappropriate course for council to take this action and re-open Olinda Pool with all its problems when we could really put something there that would be a far better outcome,” he said.
Cr Callanan said after the meeting that the council could not overlook the overwhelming support from the community to re-open the pool.
“We need to make sure the pool meets all relevant safety standards, including building and public health, before it is re-opened to the community, so this is going to take a little time,” he said.
Cr McAllister said it was important to consider all community feedback to ensure council assets and services reflected what communities wanted.
The council also resolved to investigate possible community partnership in managing and operating the pool.
A review of the consultation process involved over the past nine months will also come under review.
