Push to open pool

By Paul Dunlop
THE bid to re-open Pakenham’s old outdoor swimming pool will take centre stage at a special Cardinia Shire Council meeting on Friday.
Councillors and officers are to gather at shire headquarters to look at the possibility of opening the Anderson Street facility for this summer at least, perhaps as early as January.
The move comes after mayor Bill Ronald revealed on Monday that consultants had said the pool could be up and running again for as little as $34,000.
Discussion about the pool was part of an at-times feisty first meeting of the new-look council.
Closed since a consultant’s report declared it unsafe in 2001, the old Pakenham pool is one of the key items on the agenda of the new councillors.
Cr Ronald was supported by Cr Brett Owen as he sought at Monday’s meeting to establish a special management committee for the pool with a view to its re-opening.
It has long been the subject of a community campaign to have it re-opened.
Previous estimates to fix the pool have ranged between $280,000 and $750,000, depending on who is doing the sums.
Cr Ronald said the new $34,000 figure — which caused some consternation among colleagues — was based on doing the minimum work necessary to safely operate the pool for this summer.
“This is about opening the pool for this summer and then reassessing the situation later.
“But if we are to get the pool open in January work needs to start immediately,” Cr Ronald said.
“If it can’t be done, so be it, but at least we’ll have had a go.”
The sudden tabling of the pool bid during urgent business and the similar way in which the golf course matter was raised prompted concern among the longer-term councillors.
Much of the meeting passed harmoniously but these items in particular sparked heated scenes.
Crs Doug Hamilton and Graeme Legge said they should have been given more time to consider the situation before being suddenly forced into a vote.
Cr Kate Lempriere said it was bad form to be ‘pulling these stunts at the last minute’.
Cr Bill Pearson moved to make the pool re-opening the subject of a special council meeting.
Cr Pearson said it was a ‘most emotive’ issue and warranted more in-depth discussion.
“I’m not trying to deprive people of their pool but we have got to look at the financial implications to make sure we can afford it,” Cr Pearson said.