Thursday, 18 April 2024

Rochester swimming pool

Wendy LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (17:06): (823) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Regional Development, and the action that I seek is for the minister to commit $12 million in funding for the construction of a new swimming pool in Rochester, and if it does not fall in her portfolio, I ask her to pass it on to a minister whose portfolio it does fall in. The town of Rochester was one of the hardest hit in the October 2022 Victorian floods, but they are still suffering the psychological and economic after-effects of the flood. Widespread damage was done, including to the town pool, which was inundated with water. The site of the Rochester pool has become a psychological trigger point for the community. The broken and deserted facility is a constant reminder of the flood and its devastating effects on public spaces and private homes of Rochester residents.

Two hot northern Victoria summers have come and gone with no pool for local kids to learn how to swim, for fitness-committed residents or retirees to do their daily laps or for families to cool off in the baking summer heat. A community pool is not just about swimming sports. It is about recreational play, water safety education and staying fit for life. In small rural towns that do not have the same amenities as larger towns or cities, community pools also provide a crucial place for locals to meet and socialise.

Campaspe Shire Council has been in frequent consultation with its residents regarding aquatic facilities throughout the shire, and that consultation has highlighted how important an aquatic facility is to the residents of Rochester. Six hundred people engaged with council’s post-flood consultation on the pool and provided extensive feedback on what they want from a community pool. Their message was loud and clear: the community is crying out for a pool that will engage people in a wide range of aquatic activities. Council has listened to this feedback and adopted a long-term strategy, which involves removing the old pool and building a new fit-for-purpose aquatic facility. Council have agreed to commit $500,000 of council money to demolish and remove the old pool shell and associated buildings. They will now undertake a planning and design process that will aim to deliver an aquatic centre that meets the community’s needs. The key components of the proposed new facility include a 25-metre pool for lap swimming and water aerobics, which will have the capacity to be heated to extend the swimming season; a water play park; a cafe and shaded seating area; and a landscaped parkland with an open grassed area. Council have taken the Winchelsea outdoor pool redevelopment as a benchmark and estimated the cost to be around $12 million. I urge the minister to commit to delivering this $12 million of funding for the Rochester town pool. The residents of Rochester truly deserve this legacy project.