Campaspe Shire Council faces tough decision on future of its swimming pools

Campaspe Shire councillors have warned ratepayers that tough decisions will have to be made about the future of the region's public swimming pools.

The northern Victorian council voted last week to endorse a discussion paper looking at the viability of it's pools and further community feedback will now be sought.

Councillors decided further discussion was needed before a preferred plan could be identified but warned the shire did not have enough money to provide all the services the community wanted.

Councillors decided not to follow a recommendation from shire staff that they identify the closure of pools at Colbinabbin, Lockington, Tongala and Stanhope as their preferred option.

Representatives from those towns told councillors that the facilities were valued by the community and should be retained.

Campaspe Mayor Leigh Wilson told the meeting the pools were being looked at because of the financial pressures facing the shire.

Mayor Wilson told the ABC “burying our heads in the sand places us in a position where if a pool fails we have no financial means because we have no plan to afford to repair it and reopen it.

"So we must have a strategy - whatever the outcome of this process, we must have a strategy."

Aquatics and Recreation Victoria (ARV) will be presentting the inaugural Victorian country pools conference at the Eastbank Centre, Shepparton on Thursday 12th and Friday 13th May 2016. 

Click here for information on the Victorian Country Pools Conference in the Australasian Leisure Management industry Calendar.

15th March 2016 - ARV ANNOUNCES INDUSTRY AWARDS, INAUGURAL REGIONAL POOLS CONFERENCE

24th June 2015 - MOUNT ALEXANDER SHIRE CONSIDERS CALLS FOR CHANGES TO SWIMMING POOLS

4th May 2015 - OUTDOOR SEASONAL POOLS UNDER ONGOING THREATS

11th December 2013 - PEOPLE POWER’ KEEPS NEWCASTLE POOLS OPEN

1st March 2012 - RURAL COMMUNITY WINS CAMPAIGN FOR 50 METRE POOL