Pool heater breakdown forces closure

THE Bendigo East Swimming Pool will remain closed until its heater can be replaced.

The pool closed late last month when its heating system broke down, but testing revealed that the entire heater would have to be replaced.

A statement from management said the heater replacement process could take as long as six to eight weeks.

“The City of Greater Bendigo has committed to replacing the entire boiler with a brand new, more efficient model,” the statement said.

“The transition to heat pumps was unfortunately not able to be achieved.

“This has been a very diffcult year and this is the last thing that we needed.”

When the pool is operational, pro rata refunds of winter season tickets will be applied as discounts on the summer season ticket.

“For those swimmers who will not take up our summer season passes, an application can be made for a pro rata refund when the pool is operational again,” the statement said.

Winter season tickets can not be used at the Gurri Wanyarra or Peter Krenz indoor pools because they are operated by private contractors.

The closure is a blow for the pool committee, which in April secured City council support for a 30 per cent hike in its winter fees to allow the facility to continue operating in the colder months.

The city and the committee agreed in February to move to a seasonal opening schedule due to rising costs of running it as an outdoor heated pool, but further investigations by the committee proposed a price rise as one way of retaining year-round operation.

A two-day survey of pool users resulted in 623 responses, 94 per cent of which indicated support for a hike, and councillors adopted the proposal unanimously.

The pool had opened for the winter season on 13 May.