College deal could negate need for town’s sixth pool

Alex de Vos
Plans for a Torquay aquatic centre might be unnecessary if developers open a pool to the public at the town’s college, according to the operator of a learn-to-swim centre.
Torquay Swim School’s Jenny Bennett, who manages the centre in Baines Court, said the college pool would “suffice” for existing demand if it kept to initial plans of opening to the public outside school hours.
The college has an agreement with developers to open a pool on the school site by 2010.
“If Torquay College gets a pool then I think that would be enough and we wouldn’t need another indoor pool,” Ms Bennett said.
Torquay will have five indoor pools including the college if RACV goes ahead with its plan for a swim centre at its golf club. Existing pools are at the learners’ centre, The Sands and for guests only at Crowne Plaza Hotel.
Surf Coast Shire and State Govern-ment unveiled plans for a sixth pool when they announced $30,000 for a feasibility study into the aquatic centre.
They said work would not start on the centre before 2013.
Ms Bennett said a public pool in Torquay was “well and truly overdue and very viable”, even with three indoor pools already in the town.
“The lifesaving community and all the sporting clubs would use it for training and it’s just too expensive to take kids to Geelong,” Ms Bennett said.
Surf Coast Shire Mayor Dean Webster welcomed the aquatic centre study last week.
“This feasibility study will assess the level of community need for such a centre and consider issues including contemporary leisure participation trends, the scope of existing and possible facilities, financial implications, location options and the demographic profile of the Surf Coast,” he said.