CONCERNED Black Hill residents will learn the fate of their beloved community swimming pool on Wednesday night.
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Council will decide whether to adopt the City of Ballarat Aquatic Strategy 2014 following months of public exhibition and consultation.
The proposed closure of Black Hill swimming pool was sighted in the draft aquatic strategy, released in April.
Black Hill Primary School council president Leigh Cassidy said he had been invited to attend the meeting after he made a public submission.
“I met with council some time ago,” he said.
“We then encouraged all community members to make a submission to council.”
In April, council’s draft strategy recommended improving infrastructure at the Eureka, Brown Hill and Buninyong pools.
The draft strategy also recommended the development of a 50 metre pool at the Ballarat Aquatic Centre.
Mr Cassidy, whose children frequently use the pool, said the Black Hill community would feel the impact of the closure.
“The pool is primarily access by young kids aged between eight and 15-years-old,” he said.
“The majority (of children) go to pool with older siblings. It isn’t practical for them to go to other parts of town and nor should they have to.”
Mr Cassidy said he supported the upgrades to Brown Hill pool and Ballarat Aquatic Centre, but said it should not come at the expense of the Black Hill pool.
The council agenda states the Black Hill Pool Site would require a “significant level of capital expense” to be operational during the 2014/15 season.
It includes the $90,000 upgrade of the facility’s septic system and water mains and $53,000 for the replacement of the filter system, irrigation and fencing works.
Council said it would save $500,000 over the next five years if the pool was closed.
Mr Cassidy said council had not put money into the asset in the last decade.
kara.irving@fairfaxmedia.com.au