A SUNSHINE pool user has questioned Brimbank council’s priorities
after it rejected a community push to keep the suburb’s heated outdoor
pool open all year.
Lawyer Kofi Osei, who spearheaded a petition of 59 signatures
calling for year-round access, said he was “profoundly disappointed” the
council had placed a heavy emphasis on profit.
A council report found there was insufficient demand for the
Sunshine Leisure Centre’s outdoor pool to be open beyond its November 1
to March 31 window, stating that extending opening hours would “increase
expenditure with very little, if any, additional income”.
The council said it would cost $150,000, mainly for fixed heating
and maintenance costs, for the pool to be open for an additional seven
months
While Mr Osei admitted councils operated under considerable financial constraint, he said the decision was short-sighted.
“Financial considerations appear to have been one of the key
planks in reaching its decision,” he said. ‘‘I would not have thought
that these social amenities are meant to be income and profit generating
… some amenities by their very nature cannot generate much by way of
income.’’
Mr Osei said the potential health benefits of increased access couldn’t be overstated.
‘‘The effects of conditions like diabetes, hypertension and
obesity can all be ameliorated by swimming and regular exercise,” he
said.
The council’s decision was passed last Tuesday night without comment from administrators.
Council data showed the number of swimmers using the outdoor pool during warmer months included no more than 30 lap swimmers a day and six an hour on average.
