By Christine de Kock
THE State Government’s offer of a 25- metre pool to Brimbank City Council has rekindled the Save Footscray Pool campaign.
Maribyrnong City Councillor Janis Rossiter said Sunshine residents didn’t “sit down and shut up” when the Brimbank council denied them a pool “and we should keep fighting, too”.
Cr Rossiter last participated in a Save Footscray Pool rally in June after the Footscray Swim Centre was closed to the public and the Maribyrnong Aquatic Centre was opened.
“This side of the municipality still needs a pool,” she said.
“The community should have kept fighting … I would like to encourage everyone not to give up the fight for the pool.”
The State Government plans to give Sunshine one of four pools that will be used in the FINA World Swimming Championships in Melbourne in March-April 2007.
Brimbank council held off on stage 2 of their redevelopment of Sunshine Swim and Leisure Centre, refusing to install a pool to replace the one that was closed unless it was completely funded by the State Government.
Cr Rossiter said Footscray would be willing to take a 25-metre pool. “There are quite a few spaces that could accommodate a 25-metre pool, the sinking village site off Williamstown Rd is just one place where it could go,” she said.
The Brimbank council will conduct a State Government-funded feasibility study for up to $25,000 before it confirms acceptance of the pool.
Footscray MP Bruce Mildenhall said Sunshine more than likely would accept the pool. “Each of the four pools have been allocated, to Bentleigh, Frankston, Sunshine and Geelong,” he said.
No more free pools were available and Footscray would have to establish a strong case to prove one was needed.
“And you really won’t know that until Ascot Vale and Sunshine are open because those pools are likely to affect the figures,” he said.
