‘Only fools close pools’
28 July, 2010
By Rose Darling
At its meeting last night, Mount Alexander Shire Council voted 4 to 3 to close and demolish the Chewton Swimming Pool.
Councillors offered a lifeline to Harcourt, which they are advised is in better condition. However, it is clear that no outdoor pool will be safe from the money-hungry ‘aquatic centre’ proposed in central Castlemaine.
Council has ignored the submissions demonstrating the will of the people, with 70 percent supporting the retention of the three outdoor pools. Four of the seven Councillors prefer to force a pre-emptive decision in the hope that they can eliminate Chewton pool to clear the path for the indoor centre.
Reflecting on the situation, I realise that the people of Chewton are in a very different space to the Council on this matter.
To the majority of Councillors, this decision is about facilities – cement, bricks, mortar – expensive new assets.
To the people of Chewton, it is about children and young people having the same joyous summer fun we had as children. It is about sustaining our community. People, place, the kind of village that is inclusive and where services are accessible.
We are about people needing facilities, not facilities needing people. We want to keep Chewton pool for the people. They need to close it for the patronage levels for the new one in Castlemaine.
Campbells Creek, Chewton and Castlemaine outdoor pools are simply collateral damage en route to the “iconic” debt we have to have.
Our proposal to manage the Chewton pool until a proper alternative is in place was ignored. Councillors spoke about the risk of using an “unsafe” pool in Chewton. There is absolutely no evidence of risk associated with this pool being any greater than in recent years and we would suggest the risk of children and young people swimming at Expedition Pass is much higher.
What will Chewton do? We will certainly continue the fight to have this pre-emptive decision reversed, using all legal means at our disposal.
The bus load of Chewton pool supporters departed the Council meeting to the chant of “Shame, shame, shame – only fools close pools” Chewton’s diggers did not give up so easily and we will follow their example.
Posted in Culture, Social Justice
July 28th, 2010 at 3:48 pm
Which councillors voted which way?
July 29th, 2010 at 8:47 am
A committee of management, organising a roster of community members, getting quotes for pool repairs, finding out if an arrangement can be made to spread funding by asking the football to share facilities for joint funding proposals and demonstrating that the council does not need to see the pool a financial burden, a property which they have run at loss through poor management.
Or did the football club already have other plans?
July 29th, 2010 at 10:08 am
As is so aptly put, only fools close pools. Obviously our councillors are on a different wave length to the community they are supposed to represent. Interestingly, almost half of the councillors voted to retain the Chewton pool. To think that one decisive vote, making four to three, can tear the heart and soul out of a caring, committed community such as Chewton, by riding callously over the wishes of the vast majority of the town. Is this what democracy in action is all about!
This council asked for feedback from the Shire in general to its proposal to close all outdoor pools. 70% voted against this. It thus does not have a mandate to do so, yet four individuals, four councillors, have chosen to take the dictator’s path. They have underestimated the will of the people. If Mandela can change a whole government, Chewton can change a shire council of seven people,four of whom voted irresponsibly this week.
Chewtonites will not take this lying down. They won, peacefully, 150 years ago, at the Monster Meeting. They will win again, 150 years later. In the end it is people power that wins the day. ONLY FOOLS CLOSE POOLS.
Gloria Meltzer
Chewton
July 29th, 2010 at 4:27 pm
Who voted which way?
Here’s the rundown: Councillor Cropley started the ball rolling quick smart by supporting the closing and demolition of the Chewton pool. I read somewhere she was quoted as saying that council officers are the ‘experts’ (I think in relation the Maldon bank fiasco) and that councillors need to be guided by their information. So even when faced with the reality that council officers fudged the numbers on the pool survey …. she voted to demolish.
Councillor Rewell got a rousing ovation when he somewhat unexpectedly voted against the closure – saying that he was not convinced by the engineers report that the Chewton Pool was beyond repair.
Councillor Henderson voted against the closure – in reponse to the overwhelming reponses from Chewton and sources she had read, and heard in relation to the debate. She did say something alluding to the fact that pools are like cars – eventually, no matter how much you love them – they reach the end of their useful life. She stopped short of the most obvious response to a dead car – is a good management plan to replace it when that sad day comes…!
Councillor Acklom voted against the closure & demolition of the Chewton Pool. Whilst he stated that he was usually a very ‘practical’ decision-maker he could not ignore the will of his electorate.
Councillor Cross voted for demolition. She did a patronising ‘let them eat cake’ type comment which said the council should clear the land – and entewr negotiations with those wonderful people of Chewton to discuss what they wanted there…… Eh….crivens …. in a Town Hall full of Chewton residents …who had just spent nearly an hour telling the council LOUD and CLEAR what they wanted the space to be used for…
Councillor Redden voted for the demolition.
Mayor Scheir voiced superlatives for the Aquatic facility early on in the evening so it was clear that a vote in favour of the cafe latte and creche set: would dictate that the Chewton Pool has to go……. Unmoved that a group of Chewton children lose out from that, or that their parents as ratepayers would be forced to subsidise the Castlemaine ‘aspirational swimmers and hot tubbies’… Kids don’t vote, so they don’t matter.
Why do they call it ‘question time’ or ‘debate’ – when no-one answers the questions – and everyone’s mind is made up before they begin?
July 31st, 2010 at 6:42 pm
er … but this is Castlemaine – here cars that reach the ‘end of their useful life’ are made better & turned into hot rods.
So essentially it was the risk assesment and public liability types that decided the Chewton pool is unsafe, what a crack will appear in it and suck the kiddies into another dimension? Has this happened before?
August 3rd, 2010 at 7:44 pm
Did you say kiddies, like children even? Oh yes, the little humans who go to the pool to learn to swim, interact and keep refreshingly cool when it’s stinking hot in a safe healthy outdoor environment. I recall doing the same when I was a kiddy.
Shame shame shame to take that opportunity away from our kiddies.