Wyndham councillor Gautam Gupta wants to cut funding for swimming pools despite the council’s new aquatic strategy identifying the need for a pool at Tarneit.
The strategy, adopted at Monday’s council meeting, recommends a pool be built at Tarneit sometime between 2022 and 2027.
It says the new facility will mean most Wyndham residents will live within a five kilometre radius of a regional pool.
But Cr Gupta told his colleagues he felt swimming pools were an expense the council could not afford, requiring between $50 million to $60 million to build a new aquatic centre.
“It is a lot of money given that we are faced with capped rates. I think we should reconsider,” Cr Gupta said. “If we are going to invest $50-$60 million on aquatic facilities, what happens to the rest of the city?
“This is money we could spend on other sports and recreation facilities. We need to be pragmatic about how much we are willing to invest.”
Cr Bob Fairclough backed the strategy believing it was important for the council to improve residents’ access to physical exercise and learn to swim programs. He believed it was appropriate for the council to plan to spend money on a new pool.
The strategy is the result of six weeks’ community consultation and includes 19 submissions, seven of which called for a pool to be built at Point Cook. Three submissions cited the need for a pool in Wyndham Vale.
A report to the council found no need for a pool at Point Cook as residents have access to the redeveloped Aquapulse centre, while Wyndham Vale residents will be able to access a new Tarneit pool, once built.
