FRIENDS and supporters of the long-time operators of the Eureka Pool again protested a decision by the City of Ballarat to hand over operational responsibility to the YMCA yesterday. Organisers of the protest, timed to coincide with the reopening of the pool for the GCO Swimming Club Long Course Competition, estimated the crowd at around 40 people.Tomorrow the pool opens to the public for the first time under the new regime but McKenzie family supporters said their four decade management of the complex should be reinstated. An online petition created by the group has collected around 1000 signatures and will be presented to the City of Ballarat in coming weeks. Organiser Donna Whitefield said she had been overwhelmed by the response and encouraged supporters to continue to protest the decision. “With such a short timeframe, we are really happy with the response to the petition and to our rally. “The police came to see what we were doing but they didn’t have a problem with us gathering here,” she said. Erin McCuskey told the protest she had been described as “an objector, a concerned resident, a whinger, and a trouble maker." “I believe our elected representatives did their very best, with the information they had. They have been charged with providing service to our community and I don’t believe there is any corruption in the council process — (but the decision has been) badly handled, no doubt,” Ms McCuskey said. She told the rally that residents had a responsibility to say loudly that council’s decision was wrong and it needs questioning about the process, including community consultation.Follow @TomMcIlroy