By JESSE GRAHAM
HEALESVILLE’S historic pool could close its doors before seeing its 25th birthday, after a manager revealed that the venue is drowning beneath rising costs.
Pool manager Ross Ilsley said the Jack Hort Memorial Pool was currently running at a deficit of $50,000 and would struggle to see the end of 2014.
Mr Ilsley, who has worked at the pool for over 20 of its 24 years, said the pool has heavily reduced its opening hours with the beginning of the new year, and would continue to do so throughout coming months.
He said the pool’s short-term aim was to stay open until March 2015, when the pool would celebrate 25 years in the community.
The long term goal is for the pool to stay open until a new aquatics facility is built in town.
“But that may not be achievable,” Mr Ilsley said.
Citing a decline in numbers in recent years due to the opening of Yarra Junction’s Yarra Centre and the RACV Country Club’s pool, Mr Ilsley said the pool was reaching the end of its time.
“Every place has a lifespan – we always knew this had a lifespan – but it would be nice if there was something else (in town),” he said.
“When you reduce your hours, you reduce your availability – you’re only going one way, and you can guess what way that is.”
Should the Jack Hort Memorial Pool close, Healesville would be without any pool facilities, with the exception of the November-March period that the Healesville Outdoor Pool opens.
Mr Ilsley said if the pool could raise $50,000 for maintenance, it would go a long way to keep the doors open longer, but that it was difficult to get funding, as the pool was run by the school and not the council.
He said a joint-use agreement existed with the council, which said that the council would be liable for half the costs, should the pool run at a deficit.
However, Yarra Ranges Council director of Environment and Engineering Mark Varmalis said there was no such agreement in place.
“The operational management cost of the facility remains Healesville High School’s responsibility,” he said.
“There is no agreement in place for council to cover half the deficits in running costs.
“The pool is on Department of Education land and the decision regarding the pool’s future rests with the school.”
Mr Varmalis said the council was undertaking a feasibility study report to investigate the viability for a new aquatic facility in Healesville.
He said the council had contributed $10,000 to the high school each year for the pool’s operational costs, with $100,000 for maintenance repairs over the last four years and $10,000 for filter upgrades.
“No further funding has been allocated and no further major maintenance works identified in the short term future,” Mr Varmalis said.
He noted that the council has a capital grants program, which would be appropriate for the pool to apply for, but that it had very limited funding.
The pool is currently open from 7am-7pm on Mondays and Wednesdays, 8am-7pm Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7am-4pm on Fridays, 9am-1pm Saturdays and is closed on Sundays.
As of 29 January, the pool will open 8.30am-7.30pm Monday-Thursday, 8.30am-4pm Fridays and 9am-1pm Saturdays during school terms. The pool will close on Saturdays during school holidays.
Further time changes will come into place in April.
What do you think of the Healesville pool’s situation? What are your memories at the pool? Send us an email at editor@yvnews.com.au or write us a letter at Level 1, 244 Maroondah Highway, Healesville, 3777.
