Ballarat City Council yesterday confirmed the YMCA-managed pool was not available for public use until 10.15am.

Council’s growth and development director Eric Braslis said the complex’s toddler and 50-metre pools were open from the usual time of 6.30am.

“The later opening was to allow extra filtration of the pool to ensure it was ready for public use during peak swimming times,” Mr Braslis said.

A Health Department spokesman confirmed the pool had been temporarily closed but said he did not know why. The Health Department in Ballarat referred queries to the council.

The pool was the centre of community protests last November when it was revealed that the McKenzie family, who had run it for 39 years, had been dumped in favour of the YMCA as part of council’s compulsory competitive tendering process.

Yesterday Peter McKenzie told The Courier that in all the years he managed the pool it had never been shut down.

“None of our pools have been closed, especially during this time of year,” he said. “We tested the pools four times per day and made sure that everything was up to date.”

Golden Point resident Jonathon Wilson said the pool was “filthy” when he visited it on Monday with his wife, five-year-old niece and four-year-old son.

“I was just sitting down reading the paper and my wife came over and said we need to get the kids out because the pool was filthy,” he said.

“You couldn’t see the black lines (on the bottom) at all. There was just crap floating all over it. I don’t think it’s safe like that.”

The YMCA was yesterday unavailable for comment on why the extra filtration – used to keep pools free of dirt, debris and bacteria – was needed. Mr Braslis said the council regretted any inconvenience caused by the later opening time.

The YMCA also runs the Black Hill, Brown Hill and Buninyong pools, as well as the Ballarat Aquatic Centre.