By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Casey Council insists no final decision has been made on Doveton Pool in the Park’s fate despite allocating money for a “site re-design” in its 2021-’22 draft budget.
In its planned capital works, the council proposed $54,000 for fencing renewal and $30,000 for site re-design at the historic Olympic-size pool site.
The “re-design” item raised suspicion among Doveton-Eumemmerring Township Association members, who are among a community chorus of supporters of retaining the 53-year-old pool.
“When I saw the word ‘redesign’, I thought they’ve already made a decision,” DETA chair Sean Balfour said.
“They’re going to scrap the pool.”
In March, Casey faced a public outcry after a tabled council report recommended replacing the pool with parkland.
Its administrators put aside voting on the report. Instead the council launched a seven-week $90,000 public consultation on the site’s future, which included pop-up stalls at the pool.
It was however labelled a “sham” by pro-pool opponents. The survey and draft concept plan were skewed due to not including an option of retaining the pool, they said.
New features such as playgrounds, a water play, splash-pad, barbecues and a group shelter were options.
“On exit surveys, people have told me they had assumed the new features were complementing the pool, not replacing it,” Mr Balfour said.
“The council has spent money to convince us we don’t need a pool.”
A “vast majority” of locals steadfastly wanted the pool to stay, he said.
An online petition to ‘Save Doveton Pool in the Park’ has been signed by more than 2200.
Other supportive petitions have been circulated at Doveton Avenue’s fish-and-chip shop and Doveton Football Netball Club.
“I’ve spoken to hundreds while out with the petition. Only two people said they didn’t care.”
Casey city and asset planning manager Keri New said the council received more than 500 completed surveys during the consultation.
The surveys will be “analysed” before a further report is prepared for the Council. Then Casey would decide on the future of the pool or the site more broadly, Ms New said.
Budget funding for a site re-design was to “further develop the findings that arise from the Draft Concept Plan consultation”, she said.
The $54,000 fencing allocation was for “general maintenance”.
In March, an earlier tabled council report recommended that an aquatic facility was not a priority.
Instead the site should address a shortage of district parkland in Doveton-Eumemmerring, it stated.
The report was based on expert assessments including visitor numbers, seasonal use, the pool’s age and operational and maintenance costs, the council stated at the time.
A Heritage Assessment and expert advice was commissioned to “ensure any proposed redevelopment is respectful of the site’s heritage”.
