Bega Valley Shire Council’s announcement this week that it intends to call for tenders for the operation of its five outdoor swimming pools is a significant development for the communities of Eden, Bega, Bemboka, Candelo and Cobargo.
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Some people could see the move as a mere bureaucratic formality, with all councils across NSW directed by the Local Government Act to run a tender process before issuing contracts or licences to operate and run community facilities.
Much more, however, is at stake. As the council stated in advertisements across Fairfax Media’s mastheads this week, its goal “is to have the outdoor pools operating well and being well used”.
Let’s take a moment to consider life in the shire with without pools.
Bemboka would not be able to stage the Bemboka Triathlon. Organised by the Friends of Bemboka, the event is now in its third year.
Candelo was the venue for eight school swimming carnivals over summer
At Eden pool, Gen-I held ‘Movie in the Moonlight’ on Saturday, December 10, 2016; more than 160 people attended, had a good time and raised money to go towards future youth projects in the town.
Just how many people took advantage of the shire’s pools over the summer just past remains unknown. The official line from council is that its staff and contractors are still compiling the figures which will become an important part of the upcoming tender.
Whether the hot summer resulted in increased usage remains to be seen.
What is on the record, however, is the clear message contained in last year’s Aquatic Facilities Review draft report by consultants, Otium Planning Group; that is, that the shire’s pools need to be utilised or communities risk losing them.
Swimming pools, especially in small country towns away from beaches, hold a great deal of nostalgia; hundreds of youngsters have learnt to swim in them, Olympic dreams have been born there.
They are also costly to run – and depend on council subsidies to operate – and many of them are in urgent need of upgrades.
Council says that it will assess the tenderer’s/tenderers’ experience, capacity to deliver and pricing.
It is sincerely hoped that the tender process is an outstanding success, and at the end of the process that the shire’s residents are not left high and dry.
