The people have spoken, and council has listened.
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The future of public operated swimming pools in the Mid-Coast will remain open following unanimous support from councillors attending Wednesday's ordinary meeting.
During the meeting councillors heaped praised on both the community for sharing their fears and council's engagement team, who took these concerns onboard and came up with management and operation of these swimming pools.
"When this matter first came before council there was graphic demonstration of the extreme cost to maintain pools, the long-term impact, particularly with Wingham pool and other pools and the capital resources needed to maintain the pools," deputy mayor, Alan Tickle said.
"One of the good things that has come out of the consultation process is the increased level of understanding from the local community of the problems associated with local pools and the preparedness of the community to partner with council and help manage these problems," Cr Tickle said.
"They are a community asset, they need to be loved by the community, used by the community and supported by the community because the longevity of that asset rests with the community."
Councillors agreed there would be no change to operating hours and Bulahdelah, Krambach, Nabiac and Stroud. These facilities will remain unsupervised.
Access will be controlled through an electronic entry system.
The cost of season membership at these pools for 2024-25 will be $50 per adult (16+), $40 for concession holders and children under 16 will be free, as long as they are accompanied by an adult.
It was also agreed that the swimming season would coincide with Eastern Daylight Saving Time.
A review into the swimming pool operations determined these facilities were subsidised at around $2.55 million per year by the ratepayers.
The community believed pools were important social, recreational, sporting, health and cultural hubs, themes which were taken into considering during the consultation period.
Tenders will shortly open for small operators and community groups interested in managing Wingham and Tea Gardens pools. There will be no additional changes to the Gloucester pool.
Belgravia Leisure will take over Great Lakes Forster and Taree Leisure aquatic centres after councillors announced the group was successful in their tender.
The new operator will retain all existing staff at both centres and continue to run both facilities with gym and aqua classes continuing.
Belgravia will roll over all current YMCA memberships for facility users.
The contract is for three years with the option for two additional one year extensions.
It is expected the contract will be in place for July 1 year to allow transition from YMCA management.
It is really wonderful that the pools are not closing, Dheera Smith said.
Small communities need these swimming pools, Cr Smith said.
One of the good things that has come out of the consultation process is the increased level of understanding from the local community of the problems associated with local pools and the preparedness of the community to partner the council and help manage these problems.
- Alan Tickle
"The fact that all of those communities have spoken together with their neighbours and friends and gotten information to us and had their say is good for the future," she said.
David West described the resolution as a demonstration that MidCoast Council does consult with the community.
"This isn't so much a resolution to keep pool doors open it is a recommendation to council thanking the community for understanding that they feel it is necessary for the safety and wellbeing of children," Cr West said.
However, he said this decision would be costly for both council and ratepayers.
"Many of them (ratepayers) aren't users of these facilities, but it is necessary to have access to them," he said.
"The cost is estimated to be about $14 million over the next 10 years just for refurbishment of these facilities
"The swimming pool is part of our sporting features that engage with people and bring them to this area to live.
Professional people will not move to areas such as the Mid-Coast unless they know children have schools, and sporting facilities can be used by the entire family
It is one of the endearing features of the MidCoast Council area is the availability of the best beaches in NSW, we have some of the best sporting grounds on the East Coast of NSW if not the East Coast of Australia, and we're developing those further.
"This is just an example of council responding to the needs of the community now and into the future."
Cr Tickle described the public pools as a community asset which needed to be loved by the community, used by the community and supported by the community.
"What this shows is that you have two parts of council," Paul Sandilands said.
"The elected body, the councillors, and the employees who operate the council under our guidance and direction," Cr Sandilands said.
He said when the swimming pool review was debated late last year councillors were not happy with the recommendations.
To their credit, council staff have come back with a set of recommendations which mirror what you want, what councillors want, and they did this based on the communication from the community, Cr Sandilands said.
"Often people bag council and say no-one listens to us, no-one does this, you ring them up and non-one answers."
But, staff have been listening to you for months, he said.
"They've done a great job, and I thing everyone will be satisfied."
"I would like to commend the community for standing up so passionately," Peter Howard said.
"And, it wasn't just one town it was multiple towns.
"Even if there wasn't a recommendation to close a pool those smaller communities that saw the writing on the wall knew that, right we have to do something about it to make sure we're not next.
"This is a demonstration of people power has been heard."