An article has appeared in other local newspapers in which the Mayor and a councillor have backed the Narooma Pool as the Shire’s premier swimming facility and quoting from Odium consultancy’s Aquatic strategy that the Narooma pool “is proposed to be positioned as the shire’s swimming carnival and events facility … the need to replace the existing indoor 50m pool once it reaches the end of its useful life with another 50m enclosed pool is considered necessary.”
It should be noted that the Odium Aquatic Strategy also says “Narooma Swimming Centre does not reflect contemporary aquatic facility trends, has few components that contribute to more successful facilities and/ or cater for a diversified range of markets.”
On page 25, it continues: Asset Condition - Following a detailed inspection in 2014, it was found that the Centre will need some fairly major work in the not too distant future. Initially further investigation was recommended to establish what is actually happening to the pool and surrounding structure. There is evidence of foundation and subgrade movement which is likely to be a result changes in the ground water conditions. Initially, a leak test of the pool and pipe work and rectification of the associated leaks was recommended. The report recommended that a geotechnical engineer be engaged to review the material under the concourse and around the pool and building structure. This should provide sufficient information to establish what is causing the movement. To determine if the pool shell is to be retained, it recommended that destructive testing and defect mapping be undertaken to determine the effective life left in the pool shell. This investigation can also confirm what is happening at the expansion joints. These works would enable informed discussion of the pros and cons of pool repair versus pool replacement and the various options available, together with the preparation of associated costs for each of the options to enable a business case analysis to be undertaken”.
Perhaps to assure residents, Mayor Innes and Councillor Constable might like to give concrete assurances that when the aging Narooma pool does require replacement, funding will be available so it will be “like for like” with another 50 metre pool but in any case, it’s crazy to suggest that the Olympic size pool to be the shire’s focal point for competitive swimming should be anywhere other than in the most populous part of the shire i.e. Batemans Bay.
Jeff de Jager
Coila
Above: good to see the towns being pitted against each other in the swimming pool stakes
