Pools backlash

By Tania Martin
TEMPERS flared last week over the need for improved swimming pools in Healesville as the Shire of Yarra Ranges adopted its 2007-08 draft budget.
An argument erupted in the council chambers last Tuesday after Ryrie Ward councillor Jeanette McRae called for an amendment to be made to the council’s 10-year $73 million capital works plan.
Cr McRae’s call to change the words “development of new aquatic facilities” to “development of Healesville facilities” received an angry response from some councillors.
Cr McRae said she just wanted to make it clear that those funds had been allocated for the Healesville region.
Under the 10-year plan Healesville had been allocated $500,000 for upgrades to swimming pools in the year 2011-12.
Cr McRae said there were a number of projects in the 10-year plan, which had been named and wanted the same for Healesville.
But Walling Ward councillor Len Cox questioned the need for money to be spent on swimming pools in the Healesville area.
“There are already two pools in Healesville which I think is adequate and I think the money is best spent elsewhere,” he said.
Cr Cox said there needed to be more money put into the higher populated areas such as Lilydale.
But Cr McRae said there was a major need for improvements to pools in the Healesville region.
For the past couple of years residents have been calling for improvements to the outdoor and indoor pools.
Cr McRae said it was now vital for people in Healesville and surrounding areas to participate in community consultation over the problems with the aquatic facilities.
“I am really looking for involvement from the community on its preferred direction for aquatic facilities,” she said.
Cr McRae said although Healesville had two pools the indoor was reaching the end of its useful life time and the outdoor pool was leaking.
She said the council needed to look at what was the best option for improving swimming facilities in the area.
But the call for Healesville to be named in the 10-year plan sparked a heated debate led by Chirnside Ward councillor Ken Smith.
Cr Smith warned councillors that they needed to draw a line between need and greed.
“We have to be careful about using the word need because it can easily become greed,” he said.
Cr Smith said that areas such as Healesville, Yarra Junction and Upwey seemed to be getting all of council’s big ticket spending. He said he believed that areas such as Lilydale, Kilsyth, Mt Evelyn and Chirnside Park were missing out so that remote areas such as Healesville could get the cash.
“Let’s not confuse need with greed,” he said.
But Cr McRae said it was offensive to say need and greed in the same sentence – council was here for the community to service the community based on need not greed.”
Despite the heated debate, Cr McRae’s motion to have the word Healesville included in the plan was approved.