Black Hill Pool to be closed for first summer in 60 years

Days after the Eureka and  Brown Hill pools, the Ballarat Aquatic and Lifestyle Centre, and the Midlands Aquatic Playspace were opened to the public, the City of Ballarat confirmed that the community pool will remain closed.

The city’s chief executive officer Anthony Schinck has also revealed that the council’s adopted Ballarat Aquatic Strategy will be put on public display again. No changes have been made to the strategy following a recent review by council officers. 

A report outlining the feedback received from the community during the impending consultation process will not be considered by councillors for at least another five months.

“(The) council can’t rewrite the aquatic strategy or make any changes without talking with the whole community,” Mr Schinck said.

He said the public engagement process would be undertaken so the council could gauge the views of the whole community about the aquatic strategy in its entirety.

The move comes in the wake of months of unrest in the community following a controversial decision to shut down the pool in August.

A meeting was held on the issue between councillors and the city’s chief officers on Wednesday night.

Mr Schinck said during the meeting the council decided to “retest” the aquatic strategy and to re-exhibit it to the public. 

President of the Black Hill Progress Association Stuart McKee said residents were disheartened but not surprised the pool would not be opened this summer.

“It’s a really disappointing thing that we won’t see the pool opened,” he said.

“The whole strategy is full of inconsistencies and we want it reviewed and for the community’s voice to be listened to and changes implemented.”

Mr McKee said the community consultation to date was flawed. 

He said he believed Black Hill Pool was doomed from the beginning, despite recording higher attendance rates during the past summer season than in previous years. 

“The draft aquatic strategy released earlier this year outlined that the pool was going to be closed, but residents did not get a chance to have their say during that time,” he said.

“We are hopeful that a positive out of all this will be that the council will now meet face to face with the community in a meaningful fashion.”

Ballarat Ratepayers Association president Jonathan Halls said the association had been inundated with concerns from residents all over Ballarat, many of whom were dissatisfied with decisions made by the council.

He said the community wanted proper and transparent consultation from the beginning. 

“Some of the decisions being made don’t seem to be based on proper consultation,” Mr Halls said.

“It makes no sense to reissue a strategy that residents don’t have any confidence in because it lacked consultation from the start. If the foundation is wrong, then everything you build on it cannot be solid.” 

Mr Halls said the community concerns surrounding the Black Hill Pool mirrored the Civic Hall saga.

“In the past, we have seen that while consultation may occur, it is not always taken on board,” he said. “The key to consultation is that it is undertaken genuinely.” 

Mr Halls said he hoped the current model of consultation for the Civic Hall – which included an innovative design studio welcoming public input – could be applied to other contentious proposals.

Mr Schinck said he would deliver a report on the findings of the new engagement process to the council in April next year.

melissa.cunningham@fairfaxmedia.com.au