Brimbank councillors have dived in to support residents, advocating strongly for a discount for locals at the Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre (BAWC).
The council will soon receive a report outlining the specifics on costs to decide if and how big of a discount residents can receive.
Councillor Maria Kerr said that as ratepayers in Brimbank funded $60 million towards the budget, they deserve to be able to access the services when they want to, at a cost that they can afford.
She said the popularity of the facilities is great, but interest from people coming from other areas is restricting access of the Brimbank locals.
As reported by Star Weekly, earlier this month residents were frustrated that couldn’t access the BAWC on hot days due to it being at capacity.
“It is great we have patrons from all over the west and beyond, but the fact is, our residents have funded this project, and our residents are struggling to get a car park and must wait outside in line and miss out on classes because they book out so fast,” she said.
The council will also continue to advocate to state government for an outdoor pool and a multi-level carpark.
Councillor Virginia Tachos said the burden fell on residents to fund the aquatic centre and they deserve fair use.
“They should be prioritised because this centre was created for them,” she said.
