Delayed opening of Warrnambool's outdoor pool frustrates swimming club

It is now faced with having to cancel the competition it had booked in for November 13 after AquaZone revealed the outdoor pool would not open until December 1 - a month later than anticipated.

The outdoor pool has been out of action since February when the water treatment system failed and forced the cancellation of school and district swimming carnivals.

Club president Suzie Wellens said the pool was so old that it was hard to find someone prepared to do the work, and there was difficulty getting compatible parts.

"We've got a crumbling system," she said. "The club members are frustrated. The amount of communication I had last night...was pure frustration. What is going on?

"We've had the pool closed down since February and we're now nearly in November and we've still got delays in getting the pool fixed."

Ms Wellens expressed her "great frustration" to management and the city council on Tuesday night after finding out via social media that the pool wouldn't open until December 1.

With the pool aiming for a November 1 opening after undergoing $105,000 in repairs and maintenance works, she said they had expected a possible delay of about a week but not a month.

"We've got a competition booked. We haven't even been informed whether that competition can go ahead on November 13," Ms Wellens said.

"That brings revenue into town."

About 100 swimmers and their families from Mount Gambier, Hamilton, Horsham, Portland and Geelong were expected to stay in Warrnambool for the event

The delay has prompted the club to speak out. It wants the outdoor pool season to be extended each year to give swimmers the best chance of being competitive.

When 40 south-west kids competed at Ballarat recently, Ms Wellens said you could tell those from Ballarat and Geelong clubs were already training in a 50-metre pool.

"Our kids, while they are completely competitive...they've got the goods, it's because they're not conditioned, they're not in a 50-metre pool yet and they don't get that opportunity until November," she said. "It's ridiculous."

Ms Wellens said that every year they had to negotiate how long the outdoor pool would stay open.

"I don't know any other club that has to do that," she said.

She said sports such as soccer, hockey, football and netball don't get their season restricted.

Ms Wellens said the outdoor pool usually closes around the March long weekend, well before the swimming season was even over with the national championships not held until April.

While AquaZone was in need of a major upgrade either on the current site or somewhere else, she said in the meantime the outdoor pool was in need of a new wet deck, new shell and new pump room - things the council has listed in its strategic plan for 2025.

"For a new facility, the need is great. The amount of users using AquaZone as a whole is fantastic, but it is in need of a complete upgrade," Ms Wellens said.

"I look to Horsham. They've got what we need. I just don't understand why as a town we haven't been able to achieve that."

The swimming club has 209 members with five who have already qualified for national level competition in April next year.

"That's a gateway to Commonwealth and Olympic potential and we're being cut off," she said.

The council was contacted for comment but has not yet responded.

A since-deleted AquaZone Facebook said rain had disrupted "critical maintenance work that requires consecutive dry days".

"We are ready to go as soon as the weather improves and will open as early as possible," the post said.

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