Wangaratta Council had previously announced the pool would close permanently when the new splash park opened.

So within hours of Friday’s official opening, the council put out a tender to decommission the pool.

Infrastructure services director Alan Clark said the council’s plan was to keep the building and shade sails and return the rest of the site to a grassed area.

“The pool structure and all the fittings will be gone,” he said.

“It was always on that timeline.”

The winning tender will be released as soon as possible.

Mr Clarke said council staff already had new ideas for the Yarrunga site, such as a BMX track.

He said the council also would consult with the community to “pick their brains” on the best community use.

Yarrunga grandmother Barb Miller staged a small protest with her grandson Hugh Maguire outside the pool on Friday to target people heading to the splash park opening.

“Hugh was desperate to do a protest,” she said.

“We didn’t want to make any statements down at the splash park opening.”

Ms Miller said she wanted the decision on the pool delayed until an elected council returned to Wangaratta at the end of 2016.

She said she did not know what she and her grandchildren would do to battle the heat this summer without a pool, as she refused to walk to YMCA or Olympic pools.

“Kids need to learn to swin to stay safe,” Ms Miller said.

“You can’t do that at a splash park.”