By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A residents group has made an “urgent” call for Casey Council administrators to vote down a move to demolish Doveton Pool on Tuesday 16 March.
In a statement, Doveton Eumemmerring Township Association (DETA) says there was no community warning that the 52-year-old Olympic-sized outdoor pool would be replaced by “public open space”.
“We can confirm, with no doubt, that the idea of there not being a pool in some form, was never proposed or raised by or with community members.
“In fact, the one constant across the community discussion was that the pool needs to be retained in some form.
“The community did not become aware of this ‘No Pool’ proposal until it appeared in a 679-page document obscurely located on the Council website last week, three business days before you are being asked to vote on such a monumental decision.”
DETA has also organised an online petition, generating more than 800 signatures within hours.
The council risked reneging on a 2019 commitment for $24 million towards upgrading the pool in “forward budgets”, DETA stated.
“Residents don’t expect a rolled-gold $40 million facility and for Council’s report to present it to you in this polarising way is incredibly disingenuous and misleading.”
After an emergency meeting, DETA stated it would withdraw from the site’s masterplan discussions if the council approved the demolition.
It stated the pool – “like Doveton more broadly” – was the “victim of underinvestment for decades”.
“Despite our growing rate base we are consistently overlooked at the expense of the growth areas of Casey.
“We want you to know that this decision is not just some box ticking exercise on another Tuesday night, it is a proposal to remove the most prized, iconic and historical community space in our growing town.”
The proposal has attracted the ire of “shocked” Bruce federal MP Julian Hill.
“The council must do the right thing and actually engage with the community. They should go out and hear what the community thinks about the pool.
“If they fail to do so then it should be no surprise if the community fights back.”
According to a Casey Council report, the Doveton outdoor pool was an “over provision of aquatic facilities and services” which lost $190,000 from July 2019-March 2020.
The report stated that Doveton-Eumemmerring’s 12,347 population was too small to justify a $40 million redevelopment including an indoor pool.
It instead recommended a $4 million option for free water-play equipment in a park and social gathering space.
This would address an undersupply of “district level” parkland in Doveton, including potentially dog off-leash areas, vegetation, barbecues and play space.
“It is expected that there will be considerable community and stakeholder interest in the project, and some may have concerns regarding the proposal to remove the pool.
“It is proposed that Council actively engage with all community members to ensure their voices are heard and seek to develop a draft Master Plan that incorporates elements that will best serve the Doveton community.”
The report also rejected a proposal from Doveton College and Our Place to relocate Doveton Library to the site, with a new 25-metre ‘indoor-outdoor’ pool, fitness centre, kitchen, allied health offices and meeting rooms.
There were sufficient council community facilities in Doveton, as well as “accessible” aquatic alternatives such as Dandenong Oasis, Casey ARC and several learn-to-swim programs, the report stated.
An outdoor pool at Noble Park Aquatic Centre was within 7 kilometres away.
The report noted that Doveton’s pools were only open during days of or above 30 degrees Celsius in December-March.
It attracted 3717 casual visitors and 15,190 during swimming carnivals in the 2019-’20 season.
By 2026, a further $1.94 million would be required to maintain the pool, let alone upgrade it, the report stated.
The Doveton Pool in the Park – the only outdoor pool in Casey – is listed as a locally significant heritage site.
It was built in 1968 after a spate of drownings in Eumemmerring Creek. Residents reportedly raised funds and lobbied Shire of Berwick for the pool.
The council raised extra funds for the project with a charge on industrial ratepayers.
