City bids for champs pool

Alex de Vos
Geelong is competing for an Olympic-size pool from next year’s World Swimming Champ-ionships in Melbourne.
State Government will give away the events temporary pools after the championships in March, with councils around the state putting their hands up as potential new homes.
Sport Minister Justin Madden this week announced one of the two Olympic-size pools would go to Frankston after the event.
Organisers will install 50 and 25-metre pools at Rod Laver Arena for the championships.
Member for Geelong Province Elaine Carbines said the remaining 50-metre pool would relocate to a new Leisure Link Aquatic Centre at Waurn Ponds after the championships if the city won its bid.
“It would dramatically reduce the total cost of the new facility (at Waurn Ponds) and benefit greater Geelong,” Ms Carbines said.
“I’ll lobby the minister even harder now one of the winners has been announced.”
Geelong was not vying for one of the 25-metre pools.
Councillor Tom O’Connor, a former swimming coach, said the pool bid was “sensational”.
He believed that obtaining the remaining 50-metre pool would be a boon to the development of young swimmers in Geelong.
“It think it’s most appropriate considering the standard and quality of young swimmers coming through Geelong programs.”
The pool would also help raise Geelong’s profile in international swimming, he said.