Swimmers and locals oppose Sydney pool upgrades

While cities and communities across Australia move forward with upgrading and opening new aquatic and recreation facilities, Sydneysiders are resisting plans to upgrade their ageing facilities.

This week the Sydney Morning Herald has reported on local opposition to plans by Marrickville Council to reduce the length of the Fanny Durack Aquatic Centre at Petersham from 33 metres to 25 metres to "bring it into line with FINA and short-course standards".

The newspaper report mocked the Council's spending of "more than $1.3 million (to end) up with a pool that is eight metres shorter."

The pool shortening is part of a $4.38 million Marrickville Council plan for the refurbishment of the 50-year-old centre that also includes new steps and a disabled access ramp.

Questioning the changes, the Sydney Morning Herald continued "while one might think the governing body of water sports, FINA, does not give too much thought to the size and shape of suburban swimming pools, Marrickville Council takes the standard set by the organisation very seriously.

"It is a decision that has outraged many locals, who are deeply attached to their non-standard pool, one of only a handful of 33-metre public swimming pools in NSW.

"However, the Council is sticking to its plan, having examined options for retaining the original shape versus changing it in a lengthy assessment process. The option to reduce the length by eight metres - but widen it by two lanes - was preferred. Not only would it meet FINA regulations, it would allow greater flexibility of use.

"Some locals are not convinced. Petersham resident Peter Mayes, a member of the Save Petersham Pool Facebook group, said many were baffled by the decision to reduce the length of the pool."

Mayes was quoted as saying "I have yet to meet anybody who wanted to have the pool shortened.

"However, council has explained to us that most pools are either 25 or 50 metres long and ours is 33 metres long, so it doesn't meet the standard set by FINA.

"It's used by the community and a couple of the local schools for their swimming carnivals. It's not really used by professional athletes."

Swimming Australia General Manager for Aquatic Strategy Graeme Stephenson was quoted as saying FINA standards were generally applied only to pools where competitions were held,adding that he felt it made sense to build a FINA-compliant pool as part of an overall redevelopment plan.

Stephenson was quoted as saying "you don't see too many 33-metre pools any more. They are a bit old-fashioned.

"Most of the ones I know of, which have been redeveloped, have been turned into either 25-metre pools or 50-metre pools; 33 metres is a little odd, especially if you're swimming laps and want to work out how far you have swum."

Meanwhile, Manly Council's plans for a $15 million upgrade to its ageing Boy Charlton Swim Centre are also meeting local opposition.

The Council's proposal includes a new indoor eight-lane 25 metre pool, a spa and sauna, a fitness centre and a covered carpark while the facility's 50 metre pool would remain outdoors.

Here local critics have questioned a lack of community consultation over the proposal, for which the Council is trying to get Federal and NSW Government funding support.

Manly Councilor Barbara Aird believes that planning has already gone too far without locals' input, stating "they can't believe a megastructure is about to happen without consultation.

"To just thrust a $15 million project at us, that's not how you treat a community. Everyone loves the pool's natural, open setting ... this will kill it."

The Council argue that the Boy Charlton Swim Centre will continue to deteriorate and incur high maintenance costs unless it is upgraded.

A report commissioned by the Council states "the existing 25 metre pool has major structural problems that have been temporarily rectified and maintained.

"However, these will continue to require significant capital funds to remain operable." 

More than 250,000 people use the centre each year, including swimming and water polo clubs but is unable to cater to more in the community, the report adding "programming at the pool has reached capacity for a number of years now.

"This means that there are ... new water-based and club activities unable to be provided for locally or regionally."

Sydney's northern beaches have long been seen as being deficient in aquatic and recreation facilities, the area's 250,000 population being serviced by just the Boy Charlton Swim Centre and the 1980s-built 50 metre swimming pool at the Warringah Aquatic Centre.

When contrasted with a community such as Geelong, whose population of 160,000 is catered for by five facilities, including the state-of-the-art Geelong LeisureLink, Sydney's northern beaches are certainly wanting.

A recent proposal by Pittwater Council to develop a new $8.5 million community and youth facility seems to have been thwarted by a lack of NSW Government funding, and a lack of backing from local councillors.

Councillor Jacqueline Townsend appeared to sum up local feelings when she told local media "I think we have enough venues for supervised activities."

Image shows the planned Boy Charlton Swim Centre.

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