The Sunbury outdoor pool will stay closed this winter, but a trial that would keep it open all year-round is on the way.
As reported by Star Weekly, a petition from Sunbury residents asking for the pool to stay open throughout the winter months amassed 1000 signatures.
At the March 25 Hume council meeting, councillor Trevor Dance raised a motion calling for a two year trial of the pool opening between 6-9am daily during winter months starting this year.
Council officers said this couldn’t occur due to works on an aqua play area, but said they supported a trial in the future.
Councillor Jarrod Bell suggested an amended motion asking for the trial to start following the completion of the works.
That motion was eventually passed despite some confusion while discussing the matter and three councillors voting against the motion.
Cr Dance said the community had been dealing with a below par aquatic centre for a long time and there had been a number of closures of the pool.
He said the Sunbury community deserved a decent aquatic centre.
Councillor Joseph Haweil supported the amended motion and said after visiting the facility, he couldn’t understand why the pool couldn’t operate this winter while the works were going on.
One point of confusion during the discussion was the completion date of aqua play area works.
The council agenda said October 2025, while in the council meeting the officers reinforced that before clarifying it is to be completed in October this year. Star Weekly has since confirmed works are set for completion in October 2024.
Councillor Carly Moore and councillor Karen Sherry said they couldn’t support it due to the trial being so far away, referring to the October 2025 start date during their speeches.
Cr Moore said the Sunbury community is clearly asking for the council to do better and that hopefully there will be progress on the masterplan commitment.
Confusion continued when councillors went to vote on the amended motion, with councillors unaware they were voting on the actual decision and a majority voted against it.
A division was called and then it was clarified they were voting for the actual motion with all councillors but councillors Sherry, Moore and mayor Naim Kurt voting in support of the trial.
Petition creator Brian Millett took to social media saying it was a fantastic result for the community.
