Residents have been invited to have their say on what the site should be used for, following the decommissioning of the pool earlier this year.

The council suggested a skate park, community garden or dog park, but early comments through the online consultation page have thrown up other ideas.

A call for a synthetic hockey field already had more than 60 votes by Wednesday.

Comments stated Wangaratta Hockey Club had been waiting 15 years for a synthetic surface, but players were forced to travel to Wodonga for competition.

Another idea for a drug rehabilitation facility or domestic violence refuge had the second-highest votes, but some comments reflected concerns over the site’s close proximity to children playing at the splash park.

Wangaratta mayor Ken Clarke dismissed calls to build another pool at the site, saying the council was not in a position to make it happen.

“The community has a strong affiliation with this site from its history as a pool,” he said. “Council is committed to retaining the site as a multi-purpose recreation space and people now have a chance to drive what that might be.”

The council will hold public consultation sessions on Tuesday at Open Door Neighborhood House at 10am and Yarrunga Hub at 2pm, then on Thursday at the council building at 10am.

Online suggestions and voting will be open at www.oursay.org/wangaratta/formeryarrungapool until December 19.