Community groups are claiming a small victory after Brimbank council agreed to take another look at opening the Sunshine Leisure Centre’s outdoor pool in winter.
Three years ago the council deemed it too costly to open the heated 25-metre outdoor pool for an additional seven months beyond its current opening from November 1 to March 31.
Earlier this year, about 12 people representing the Save Sunshine Pool, Sunshine Community Pool Action Group, Sunshine Mothers’ Group, Sunshine West Action Group and the Friends of Sunvale resumed their fight to extend the pool’s hours and have a cafe operator reinstated at the centre.
The council closed the centre’s cafe in March because of dwindling profits, despite a petition of 103 signatures calling for its retention.
At the time, the council said the cafe had been losing more than $75,000 a year.
Community groups spokesman John Heddich said the community groups wanted better access to the Sunshine pool, and there were long waiting lists for swim lessons.
“The indoor pool cannot cope with existing demand and this will worsen as Sunshine’s population doubles over coming years,” he said.
According to council figures, it would cost about $154,000 to operate the pool for an additional seven months.
A council document says the introduction of rate-rise capping and the costly redevelopment of St Albans Leisure Centre made extending the Sunshine pool’s operating hours problematic.
But last week, Brimbank community wellbeing director Kath Brackett said council staff were looking into mid-year opening hours.
“Council officers are currently working with the community to investigate the viability of opening the outdoor pool during winter, including looking at demand and cost,” she said.
Ms Brackett said a call for tenders was being prepared for the operation of the cafe by a third party, preferably a social enterprise.
She was unable to give a timeframe for its reopening.
Mr Heddich said council officers would meet a group of residents on July 5 to discuss pool options.
