IS an all-year round public pool in Albury dead in the water?
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That’s a question that appeared to be answered in the affirmative last week when city councillors voted 5-2 for a move that would scuttle plans for a $50 million indoor aquatics centre.
They opted to keep the existing Albury and Lavington pools, but flagged replacing the latter in 2021-22.
Enhancement of Albury centre, including changing room upgrades, would be done.
The council also agreed to continue “collaborative discussions with the City of Wodonga in relation to the future development of a regional aquatic facility”.
The big budget and a view there was little chance of funding from NSW and federal governments to offset the cost swayed councillors.
Enter Fish Out of Water, a lobby group formed in November 2014 with the aim of bettering Albury’s aquatic offering.
With former mayor Stuart Baker providing its public voice, Fish Out of Water was not going to let the prospect of an indoor aquatics centre quietly slip.
Members took an early morning dip in the Murray River on Friday to protest against last week’s vote and they plan to descend on the monthly council meeting on Monday night to demonstrate their frustration.
Mr Baker told The Border Mail that Fish Out of Water had an “open mind” as to whether a regional pool emerged at Albury’s Lauren Jackson Sports Centre or in Wodonga “as long as it caters for all-year round needs”.
It was a wise step to include Wodonga in the conversation, because it is apparent that any new pool will not arise without some sort of joint effort.
But it may be too late for a collaboration with Albury councillor Graham Docksey saying “those days are gone”.
His comment acknowledge changes since 2007 when Mr Baker, as Albury mayor, campaigned for an Albury-Wodonga aquatic centre on Gateway Island.
The most obvious difference is that Wodonga now has a new pool complex, WAVES.
That leaves the Albury community, a decade on, without any change despite various council-initiated surveys and reports.
One of those found Albury pools had an annual visitation rate from residents of 3.17 compared to Wodonga 4.32 and an industry average of six to nine.
But would more come if there was an all-year round centre and at what price?