Fight for Brown Hill not over

A RECISION motion reversing the decision to close Brown Hill swimming pool was lodged by Cr Stephen Jones yesterday.
Ballarat City councillors voted six-three on Wednesday to close the Brown Hill pool after 70 years of operation.
It was a decision that angered ward councillor Jones and the small band of the pool's supporters who gathered at the Town Hall.
Cr Jones refused to accept defeat and yesterday tabled a recision motion against the decision at the Town Hall.
The motion, which calls for the pool to remain open this summer while further investigations take place, is likely to be considered at the next council meeting.
"My next job is to try and turn two councillors into supporting the motion to reverse the pool's closure," Cr Jones said.
"I'm going to try my very best and it's not over yet."
Cr Jones is understood to be wanting Cr Geoff Hayes and Cr Ian Jolly to support his recision motion.
However, Cr Hayes said he would want to see a demonstration of community support from Brown Hill before supporting the motion.
Cr Jolly said he would approach Cr Jones' motion with an open mind but would also need some persuasion.
"There's still two pools within a one kilometre radius of Brown Hill while Buninyong pool specifically served that community," he said.
If the recision motion is unsuccessful, the Brown Hill community has been assured it will be consulted on what will replace its axed swimming pool.
Possibilities include keeping the site as open space or turning it into a playground.
The plan for a wet water playground seems to have gone down the plug hole due to community concerns.
Cr Des Hudson said shade cloth would go around the pool during the next fortnight to show that the pool has been decommissioned.
The council would then advertise for tenders to demolish and redevelop the site.
A meeting to discuss the pool's future will be held at the Brown Hill Hall next Tuesday at 7pm.