Weddin Shire Council

Grenfell NSW 2810

18th February, 2015

Dear Glenn,

I am bitterly disappointed at the Council’s decision not to accept tenders for a new pool.  I find it incomprehensible that “they were more than originally anticipated.”  How is this possible when a “generic quote” was given to enable grant applications to proceed?  The Council seems to have a collective mindset that an upgrade will suffice.  It most certainly will not.  We need a new pool now. 

The current pool is in it’s 82nd year. During that time, it’s primary focus has been about everyone learning to swim, particularly children.  With current drowning statistics changing daily, I passionately believe that is what drives the existence of a community pool.  Perhaps you could ask other councils how they seem to be able to build new pools?  Ours is well below current safety recommendations.   I’m sure the community is unaware of how the Council continues to get away with postponing the implementation of these safety measures by continually putting everything in the 5 year plan.  Let’s pretend those millions of litres of water that the pool haemorrhaged over the years has done no damage underneath, shall we? Seeing the Council so avidly conducted community consultation (one public meeting where the decision had already been reached prior) with regard to the white elephant that will be the medical centre, where was the public consultation with regards to the NEW pool?  I was asked if I would be interested in helping with the grant application, to which I answered resoundingly yes… and that was the end of it.  Staff at Community Health have a multitude of statistics that would have supported a grant application.  Were they consulted?  No!  It is blatantly obvious to me, with the added health benefits of using the pool, it should be the number one priority.  I understand why Council has to wait until May for advice on the SRV, but do you seriously think the quote is going to get cheaper?  The design for the new aquatic centre is as basic as it can get.  If the Council was really “very committed to this project”, it would have bitten the bullet and borrowed the money and used subsequent funding to repay the loan.  I remain unconvinced that the Council is committed to a new pool ever.

On another note, I think the Council’s treatment of the Pool Manager is absolutely reprehensible. 

Yours faithfully,