‘Fumes’ lead to three day closure of indoor pools at Orange Aquatic Centre

Orange City Council released a statement explaining the toddlers’ pool, which had been empty for a month, would also be repainted in the coming days.

The statement advised that because of the “large amount of fumes associated with the work” the decision was made to close the indoor facilities to the public from 6pm on Friday, with the intention to reopen the 25-metre lap pool on Tuesday morning.

It’s expected the toddlers’ pool will be closed for a further two weeks while the new surface cures and the pool is re-filled.

The 50-metre outdoor pool will remain open during this period.

Council’s statement indicated there had been unexpected delays securing the services of painters to undertake the toddlers’ pool project since the discovery its paint was peeling.

The Council advised “successive efforts … to engage local painting contractors were not successful.

“It’s expected the toddlers’ pool will be closed for a further two weeks while the new surface cures and the pool is re-filled.”

Learn-to-Swim clients have been notified of the impending closures, with classes to go ahead in the outside pool, while parents or guardians with children in swim classes on Monday or Tuesday would be contacted by the centre when definite opening times are known.

As reported by the Central Western Daily, the closures are the latest in a string to affect the aquatic centre patrons.

Two weeks ago staff and patrons were evacuated from the facility, which was consequently closed for two days, after the discovery of a leak from a chlorine tank.

That was followed by the closure of both the 25- and 50-metre pools to clean up two instances of vomit in the water.

In September the toddlers’ pool was closed for the better part of a month while its sand filters were replaced.

As part of the repainting of the toddlers’ pool, contractors will also coat the light-coloured gravel in the beach area, while the dark-coloured gravel leading into the pool will remain.

Images courtesy of the Orange Aquatic Centre/Facebook.