Community to have their say on North Bellarine Pool

FEDERAL MP Libby Coker has this week launched a survey to seek the wider communities’ thoughts on an indoor aquatic facility for North Bellarine.

Throughout this week residents of the Bellarine will receive a mail-survey asking them what type of pool will meet their needs before presenting the findings to council next month.

The survey follows council’s confirmation that a heated outdoor 50-metre pool will be constructed under phase one of the Drysdale Sporting Precinct.

As a part of the proposed Budget released on April 26, council put forward $5.15 million to the project which will receive a further $10 million from the federal government.

Under federal funding provisions, the city is required to deliver an outdoor pool however Ms Coker said she has been inundated by community concerns since council endorsed these concept plans last month.

“At every stage they have failed to conduct a wider consultation beyond the reference group which my office originally set up to begin with,” she said.

“That’s why I have stepped in.

“The people of the North Bellarine deserve to have their say and this is their chance to do so.”

Ms Coker said the current plans fail to meet the demands of people living with disability or requiring rehabilitation.

Local woman Keri East travels 220km from the Bellarine to Waurn Ponds so her 21-year-old daughter Baylie can access hydrotherapy.

Baylie is non-verbal with a rare condition shared by only 150 people across the world leaving her with poor circulation.

Ms East had hoped to cut their travels dramatically with the announcement of the new aquatic facility.

While the initial stage of development does not include a hydrotherapy or warm water pool, council said the precinct has the capacity to accommodate for these additional facilities in the future stage two development.

“It’s ridiculous, it is really important, given how many people there are on the Bellarine with a disability,” Ms East said.

“My daughter would get no use of the outdoor pool, if she just goes into a regular pool at Waurn Ponds, she gets out with blue limbs and no circulation.”

Despite these concerns, Geelong mayor Stephanie Asher said council has been listening to residents since the push for the pool began in 2020.

“We are hearing what the community is saying about the need for further facilities and will now identify potential funding avenues to add other features such as a warm water pool and aqua play in the future,” she said.

The current endorsed concept plans include a 50-metre, eight lane outdoor pool with changerooms, a kiosk, seating and parking.