By Callum Ludwig
Yarra Ranges Council endorsed their 10-year draft Aquatic and Leisure Strategy for community consultation at the Tuesday 24 October Council meeting, with big plans coming into play.
Support was heard across the board for the Aquatic and Leisure Strategy to be approved for community consultation from councillors, but the closure of the Kilsyth Centenary Pool proving to be the sticking point in discussions and submissions from the public, with an alternative recommendation put forward by Streeton Ward Councillor Andrew Fullagar.
Cr Fullagar approved of the draft Aquatic and Leisure Strategy and put forward the alternative motion solely to ensure the site of the Kilsyth Centenary Pool be kept as a public park and recreational land following further community consultation.
“This strategy is an in-depth evidence-based study and is measured in its approach. The aim is to balance community expectations and desires against achievable outcomes over a large geographical area,” he said.
“Sometimes facts are painful but should be accepted as such and acknowledged in our decision-making. This strategy will provide a framework for that decision making over the next 10 years or more and substantial financial commitments are involved so it’s important we get it right,”
“That’s why this community consult consultation coming up is so important, and I think we’re close and therefore I’m comfortable in releasing it for community feedback.”
While the Kilsyth Centenary Pool is set to be closed, the strategy outlines the retention of the Lilydale, Belgrave and Olinda Outdoor Pools, upgrades for the Yarra Centre and Monbulk Aquatic Centre, a masterplan for the Healesville Outdoor Pool and continued management and investigation of a district facility for the Jack Hort Memorial Pool (on behalf of the Department of Education and Training and Healesville High School).
The Water Play Parks in Warburton, Seville and Lilydale will be retained and maintained.
A long-term view for an Integrated Aquatic and Leisure Centre in Lilydale to replace the Kilsyth Centenary Pool in the Urban area is also being investigated.
Ryrie Ward Councillor Fiona McAllister said the four key objectives of the aquatic strategy are around participation, inclusion and access, financial sustainability, environmental sustainability and economic benefit.
“It’s a bloody hard thing to do to get that balance right, more than 2,000 people responded to our initial survey in terms of community consultation, this isn’t the start of a consultation, there has been a mammoth consultation to get us to this point with the aquatic strategy,” she said.
“It isn’t constrained to Yarra Ranges council boundaries, I know there is some concern and hesitancy in whether the other facilities and other municipalities offer what our community needs,”
“The only way that local government, not just us but other local governments, can continue to survive and manage assets well is to actually look beyond its borders and I appreciate the work the team have done to do that.”
Yarra Ranges Council’s aquatic facilities operated at a net deficit of $2,250,675 for the 2022/23 financial year, way down from $3,640,186 over 2021-22 but still significantly higher than the years pre-Covid ($1,410,609 in 2018/19 and $1,861,530 in 2019/20.)
Cr McAllister said she deson’t support a reduced investment in aquatic facilities in the Yarra Ranges.
“Our aquatic facilities are loved as we all know, whether we’ve swum in them as children, taken our own children or watched other people take their children there,” she said.
“One of the only things that I don’t support in our statement in the aquatic strategy that talks about moving to a reduced investment in aquatic facilities over time and providing them for our community,”
“I think fundamentally that’s the reason we’re here, people pay rates to be used for the things that matter most.”
If all upgrades in the strategy go to plan:
The Monbulk Aquatic Centre will receive an additional program pool, an upgrade to leisure water, an extension of the gym and a new program room
The Yarra Centre will receive a new entry and café,an extension of the pool hall to incorporate a new warm water pool, spa and accessible change facilities, a redevelopment and expansion of the gym and program rooms and the development of an external fitness zone
The Healesville Outdoor Pool will receive upgrades to improve the condition and life of the 50M pool shell, heating of the pool an upgrade to the changerooms and potentially a small interactive water play feature.
The motion was carried despite Chirnside Ward Councillor Richard Higgins and Walling Ward Councillor Len Cox OAM voting against it.
