A new Pool for Shoalhaven Heads!

A new pool is one of the recreational facilities that have been proposed for the Shoalhaven Heads Tourist Park. Nothing wrong with that one would think- except that less than 30 metres from the gate is the village pool. A pool that Council struggles to keep open and supervised for a full day.


When Council supported this additional piece of infrastructure I was almost lost for words!

Those in favour of the park getting the pool argued that a premium tourist product needed a pool to give it a resort feel and that tourist didn't want to compete with locals for water space! Oh and that people didn't feel safe in the village pool and that the opening hours didn't suit the holiday schedule.

My counter argument was that we should be maximising the assets we have and diverting the funds from creating something new to improving and extending the village pool to better meet the needs of the tourist  park (and locals) during peak season.

I don't know the costings for the new pool but even a guesstimate of $50,000 would provide ample funds for extended lifeguard hours, some water play equipment, and the subsidised costs for the visitors. Ongoing maintenance should make such a plan sustainable.

I thought my proposition was logical- I think those in the gallery agreed and they would have liked this additional funding spent on some long overdue maintenance on their pool at  Nowra, which they are fighting to save.